The Madras High Court on Thursday held YouTuber Savukku Shankar guilty of contempt of court and sentenced him to six months of imprisonment.
Shankar, a former employee of the Tamil Nadu Vigilance department, was held guilty for claiming on YouTube channel Redpix that “the entire judiciary is riddled with corruption”. A bench of Justices GR Swaminathan and B Pugalenthi also refused to put a stay on the order or to suspend Shankar’s sentence till he appeals the verdict in the Supreme Court.
Section 389 of the Code of Criminal Procedure states that a convicted person’s sentence can be suspended. This is applicable only when a person has been sentenced to prison for three years or less and that the offences are bailable.
During hearing of the case, Shankar refused to revoke his statement and told the High Court that he stands by his statement, reported The News Minute.
“Some of my comments may seem problematic when viewed in isolation,” he said. “But, the truth becomes clear when seen in its context. It is not my intention to tarnish the dignity of the judiciary.”
This was the second contempt proceedings against the YouTuber.
On July 22, the High Court had initiated the first criminal proceedings after observing that Shankar, in one of his…
