Chennai, May 16 (IANS): The Madras High Court has dismissed an anticipatory bail plea moved by YouTuber G. Felix Gerald in a case booked by the Coimbatore cybercrime police.
According to the police, Felix Gerald had interviewed another YouTuber named ‘Savakku’ Shankar for the RedPix YouTube channel, during which the latter reportedly made derogatory remarks against women police personnel.
Justice R. Shakthivel of the Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed the anticipatory bail petition moved by Gerald after additional public prosecutor R. Muniyapparaj informed the court that Gerald was arrested by the Tiruchi police from his hideout in Noida on May 10.
He also told the court that the Coimbatore cybercrime unit had made a formal arrest on May 15, when Gerald was in prison.
Muniyapparaj also produced documents of the orders passed by the jail superintendent on the formal arrest of the YouTuber. After hearing the arguments, the judge dismissed the bail plea moved by Gerald before his arrest, terming it as infructuous.
To recall, the hearing in the anticipatory bail plea was adjourned by a vacation bench of the Madras High Court comprising Justice K. Kumaresh Babu by a week on May 9 after the additional public prosecutor sought time to file a counter affidavit.
Justice Babu, while adjourning the case, had orally observed that certain YouTubers were a "menace" to society who were prioritising subscriber growth over decency by disseminating offensive comments.
The court also said that it was high time for the government to intervene to curb such "harmful" activities.