CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has reserved orders on the bail plea filed by YouTuber Shankar alias Savukku Shankar in connection with an attempt to murder case registered against him by the State police.
After hearing both counsel for Shankar and the State, Justice Victoria Gowri reserved orders and also refused to stay the criminal case.
The case was registered against Shankar for allegedly attacking a Sub-Inspector of Police when he was being brought to Puzhal prison from Ongole (Andhra Pradesh), after being arrested in connection with an alleged cheating and extortion case.
According to the prosecution, while Shankar was being brought to Puzhal prison, the vehicle was stopped midway to allow him to urinate. At that time, some men arrived in another car and started quarrelling with the Sub-Inspector of Police, abusing him in filthy language and pelting stones at him. It was alleged that Shankar also pelted stones at the officer, causing panic among the public. Subsequently, another case was registered against Shankar and the other men for offences under Sections 296 (b), 125, 132, 109 (1), and 351 (3) of the BNS.
In his plea, Shankar argued that no such occurrence had taken place and that a false story was being fabricated against him. He submitted that he was arrested when he returned to Ongole after visiting his ailing mother in Bangalore, and that while he was in custody, the present case was foisted against him with an ulterior motive to detain him under the Tamil Nadu Goondas Act.
When the matter came up for hearing on Thursday, Shankar's counsel argued that the police were attempting to blow the issue out of proportion when, in reality, no such incident had taken place.
Opposing the plea, Additional Public Prosecutor A Damodaran submitted that Shankar was a habitual offender with 48 cases pending against him. He argued that after his interim bail ended, Shankar ought to have surrendered before the police as a law-abiding citizen, but instead absconded.
In response, Shankar's counsel submitted that most of the 48 cases against him had been filed under the IT Act for giving interviews online.
After hearing the parties, the court reserved orders.