The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday framed charges against YouTuber and blogger ‘Savukku’ Shankar for his remarks on the higher judiciary, and sought an explanation from him.
The court had initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against Mr. Shankar following his remark made to a YouTube channel on July 22. Earlier, the contemnor had told the court that he stood by his remarks.
A Division Bench of Justices G.R. Swaminathan and B. Pugalendhi framed charges and called upon Mr. Shankar to explain, within a week, why he should not be held guilty of scandalising the judiciary by making the statements in the public domain.
Transcript sought
During the hearing, he told the court he would not give an explanation unless the transcript of the interview to the YouTube channel was served on him. The judges asked him if he was not aware of what he had said in the interview, as he had said that he stood by what he said.
The contemnor replied the statements were made in a certain context and he couldn’t remember everything. Following this, he was served a copy of the transcript.
The judges said they were willing to grant time to him, provided he gives an undertaking not to make fun of the court and give interviews on the present proceedings as the matter was sub-judice. However, Mr. Shankar refused to give the undertaking.
The judges said that complying with the principles of natural justice, the hearing was adjourned till September 15 granting time to the contemnor to give an explanation.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/madras-hc-frames-charges-against-savukku-shankar-in-contempt-case/article65866987.ece
