The Madras High Court strongly objected to allegations of judicial bias made during the hearing on the cancellation of the interim bail granted to YouTuber-journalist Savukku Shankar. The court warned that mudslinging against judges would not be tolerated.
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CHENNAI: The Madras High Court reprimanded a lawyer for making allegations of judicial bias during the hearing of a petition seeking cancellation of the interim bail granted to YouTuber-journalist Savukku Shankar in an alleged extortion case.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan took serious exception to the remarks made by Shankar’s counsel, which suggested bias on the part of Justice P Velmurugan. The comments were made in connection with a petition filed by the Greater Chennai City Police (GCP) seeking cancellation of the interim bail granted to Shankar.
Expressing strong disapproval, the court observed:
“We will not permit this practice at all. Do not do it before this court. We will not allow court proceedings to be misused and abused in this manner.”
The court made it clear that baseless allegations against judges undermine the dignity of the judiciary and would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Background of the Case
Following a complaint lodged by film producer Purushothaman, who accused Shankar and his associates of extorting money and assaulting him, Savukku Shankar was arrested in December 2025. The alleged incident reportedly occurred in June 2025 and was linked to a YouTube video uploaded by Shankar that allegedly contained derogatory remarks against the producer.
Subsequently, Shankar was granted interim bail on medical grounds, with the court observing that he required treatment for certain health-related issues. However, challenging the bail order, the GCP argued that Shankar was not suffering from any serious medical condition and further alleged that he had threatened the victims after being released.
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During the hearing, Shankar’s counsel alleged that Justice P Velmurugan had displayed bias by referring to the accused as a “blackmailer.” Following this, the defence moved a petition expressing apprehension of bias against the bench comprising Justices P Velmurugan and M Jothiraman.
Reports indicate that when the issue was raised earlier, the bench observed that Shankar could not “blackmail the bench as well.”
When the matter was subsequently mentioned before the bench headed by the Chief Justice, the court strongly objected to what it termed as mudslinging against the judiciary.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on YouTuber Savukku Shankar
