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YouTuber ‘Savukku’ Shankar has been convicted in a defamation case filed by former Sun TV news reader and advocate Mahalakshmi. A Chennai court on Tuesday, September 29, sentenced Shankar to three years in prison and imposed a fine of Rs 20,000.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sivashakthi found Shankar guilty under Section 509 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with words or acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman, and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.
The court also granted Shankar 30 days to appeal against the verdict.
Mahalakshmi had first lodged a complaint against Shankar in 2013, alleging that he had published defamatory remarks about her on his website, ‘Savukku’. She subsequently approached the Egmore court, accusing Shankar and his associates of threatening her, defaming her and fabricating documents.
During the proceedings, Mahalakshmi’s lawyer argued that Shankar had deliberately published defamatory allegations against her and issued threats, and sought legal action against him.
Shankar’s counsel denied the allegations and argued that the complaints and charges against him were false.
After hearing the arguments, the court held that the charges against Shankar under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act had been proved and sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment.
'Savukku' Shankar is a former government employee who was suspended from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption. He currently runs a YouTube channel ‘Savukku Media’, where he makes controversial videos often criticising politicians, bureaucrats and the judiciary too, leading to defamation cases against him.
The previous DMK government had detained Shankar under the stringent Goondas Act and prolonged his incarceration. However, the newly-formed TVK government revoked the Act against him and ensured his release from prison.
