SC stays Madras HC direction ordering closure of YouTube channel as bail condition

Gerald was arrested for hosting on his channel an allegedly “objectionable” interview of YouTuber Savukku Shankar, who made some comments against Madras High Court judges and women police personnel.

Granting him bail on July 31, the High Court had asked him to close his channel.

Hearing the appeal against this, the CJI asked: “Why do you host such scurrilous interviews on the channel, derogatory of the judiciary, derogatory of the women police officers…”

Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for Gerald, told the bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra: “I agree it should not have been done… He should not have said such a thing, I should not have hosted such a thing.”

The counsel added: “However, I have 2.9 million subscribers. I have been doing this since 2014. This is actually a news channel.” He said the direction to take down the channel could not have been a bail condition.