New Delhi: YouTuber Felix Jerald moved the Delhi High Court on Monday seeking a compensation of Rs 1 crore alleging violation of his human rights by the Tamil Nadu police by allegedly detaining him illegally.
Jerald has claimed that the Tamil Nadu police officials illegally detained him for two days and his whereabouts were not disclosed by the police to his family members or friends with an “ill motive”. He has further claimed non-compliance of provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) during his arrest in violation of his fundamental rights and has sought a direction from the court to state of Tamil Nadu and several police officials to pay Rs 1 crore compensation for the pain, suffering, humiliation and loss of reputation caused to him.
Jerald was allegedly arrested by Tamil Nadu police for hosting an objectionable interview of Savukku Shankar
Jerald was allegedly arrested by the Tamil Nadu police for hosting an “objectionable” interview of Savukku Shankar, another YouTuber, on his YouTube channel. The said interview purportedly contains objectionable remarks against the Madras High Court and Tamil Nadu police’s women police officers.
Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri granted Jerald time to file additional documents in support of his contention and has listed the matter on December 16, news agency PTI reported.
What did Jerald say in his plea?
The plea said that Jerald, owner of “RedPix 24×7″ YouTube channel, interviewed another YouTuber Savukku Shankar on April 30, highlighting the alleged targeting of Savukku Media, the YouTube channel of Shankar, by the ruling dispensation of Tamil Nadu. The Coimbatore police arrested Shankar following the interview for his allegations against Tamil Nadu’s women police personnel on May 4. The YouTube channel of Jerald was also made an accused in the FIR.
The plea further said that Jerald had an appointment with the chairperson of Press Council of India on May 11 and he had planned to extend his stay in the national capital for two more days, however, he was “unexpectedly abducted by unknown persons claiming to be from the police department of Tamil Nadu” on May 10.
Was neither provided with a copy of FIR nor informed of grounds of his arrest, Jerald has claimed
Jerald has alleged that he was not made aware of the subsequent FIR, his implication and not been served with a prior notice under section 41A of CrPC to appear before the investigation agency and further he was neither provided with a copy of the FIR nor informed of the grounds of his arrest.
Tamil Nadu police did not inform my family about their action, Jerald has claimed
Jerald has further alleged that the Tamil Nadu police did not inform his family about their action and not producing him before the court concerned in the national capital to carry out the transit process or before a local court in Trichy within 24 hours after his arrest. He further claimed that he was produced before a court in Tiruchirappalli on May 13 at around 5 pm after keeping his whereabouts undisclosed for 66 hours and was remanded to 15 days police custody.
The Madras High Court on July 31 granted him bail with a directive to shut down his YouTube channel. The Supreme Court, however, stayed the Madras High Court order.
