The Supreme Court on Friday declined to interfere with the bail conditions imposed by the Madras High Court on YouTuber and journalist Shankar alias Savukku Shankar, who is facing multiple criminal cases including charges of assault and extortion filed by a film producer.
A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma dismissed Shankar’s latest petition, observing that he was repeatedly approaching the apex court instead of seeking appropriate remedies before the trial magistrate.
“This man is coming every week before us,” Justice Datta remarked. “His laptop is seized, he does not file an application before the magistrate for release of the laptop. He comes to the Supreme Court. His phone is seized, he comes to the Supreme Court for release of the phone.”
The bench noted that Shankar was not granted bail on merits, but on medical grounds. However, after being released, he resumed creating and uploading videos and reels on YouTube, including content related to pending cases, which the High Court had explicitly barred.
“After going out on bail you started making reels and videos and putting it on YouTube. That was not the purpose of the grant of bail. You are misusing your liberty, that is the finding given by the High Court,” the court observed, adding, “Your bail has not been cancelled, but the High Court has imposed conditions and asked you not to talk about pending cases—but you are still doing that.”
Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the State, informed the court that Shankar had refused to hand over his mobile phone, which was essential for the ongoing investigation. He further said that the YouTuber made a video displaying the very phone the police were seeking.
He also submitted that despite being granted bail for medical reasons, Shankar failed to visit the hospital. Justice Sharma quipped, “Because he was busy making reels.”
Shankar’s lawyer, advocate Balaji Srinivasan, contested the claim that bail was granted solely on medical grounds, arguing that the High Court had criticised the State police for allegedly targeting Shankar. He added that the High Court had noted Shankar’s past cardiac history when he complained of fever, and he was referred for further treatment based on an ECG report.
However, Justice Datta said if Shankar was indeed unwell, he should have shown restraint rather than actively posting content online.
Finding no reason to intervene, the Supreme Court dismissed the plea.
This was not the first time the YouTuber approached the Supreme Court. On January 20, the court had dismissed another petition filed by him seeking directions to unseal his office premises in Chennai and to return seized electronic devices. At that time as well, the court declined to entertain the plea and asked him to approach the jurisdictional magistrate.
The Madras High Court had earlier, on December 30, 2025, refused to stay the sealing of his office and directed him to seek remedies under Sections 105–107 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
In his petition, Shankar had also sought a direction to stop police deployment outside his office premises located in Adambakkam, Chennai.
Shankar was arrested on December 13, 2025, from his residence in Chennai in connection with several FIRs registered against him. The police alleged that he had extorted money from a film producer and was booked under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
On December 26, 2025, the Madras High Court granted him interim bail in 17 criminal cases, primarily on health grounds. While doing so, the High Court observed that the repeated curtailment of his liberty by the Tamil Nadu Police amounted to “abuse of process of law.”
Despite being on interim bail, Shankar now faces continued scrutiny over his conduct, especially his online activities, which are alleged to be in breach of his bail conditions.
