On Wednesday, a team of female policemen escorted Mr. ‘Savukku’ Shankar from Coimbatore to Tiruchi.
A complaint was lodged by advocate C. Muthu, president of Netaji Ilaignar Sangam–Tamil Nadu with the Race Course police and case was registered.
The arrest is connected to an interview that took place on 30th October 2023 on Red Pix 24×7, a YouTube channel owned by Mr. Jerald for his alleged derogatory remarks against the late leader. The duo has been booked under Section 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and its two sub sections—504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 505 (2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code.
He remains in police custody till May 28 after being remanded by Additional Mahila Court in Tiruchi on Wednesday for allegedly making derogatory comments about women police personnel during an interview conducted by Red Pix Media over the telephone.
Also adjourned to Thursday was hearing on a police petition seeking Mr. Shankar’s custodial interrogation.
It was in this context that when he tried this morning at Coimbatore Central Prison where he is undergoing judicial remand in a case registered by the Cyber Crime Police Coimbatore City, women constables he got taken away- they took him away from there to take him up to Tiruchi and so they were seen taking selfies with him along his path which went viral online; it happened while he was taken to court today morning – so when we look at this situation we realize that it is not one-time incident because these women beat him fiercely when they were escorting him here into our town.” During the hearing, Mr. Shankar’s advocates claimed that he was assaulted by police while being brought to Tiruchi.
“Beaten and scolded by the women constables of Mahila Court, T. Rajashree had taken him into the hospital on the order of judge who directed that he should be sent for medical examinations to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital and thereafter produced him in court; thus it is at this point when after a medical examination they were able to identify these six people for the first time since his arrest yesterday evening; however each of them denied having done so, but then they still maintained that he had threatened them.” Mr. Shankar told the judge that he was beaten up, and verbally abused by six women police personnel who escorted him. The Judge directed that he be taken to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital for medical examination. When he was produced before the court in the evening, after a medical examination, he identified the six personnel. However, they denied the charges and alleged that he had threatened them. Later, Mr. Shankar was taken to the Lalgudi sub-jail.
At different times when Mr. Shankar moved around from one court to another with tight security provided by women police groups carrying posters with inscriptions strongly disagreeing with his anti-women statements.
In any case, Joint Action Against Custodial Torture has condemned his alleged torture while in judicial custody at Coimbatore Central Prison as well as Jerald’s arrest.
However this press release which is signed by Thiyagu forum coordinator, Pandian secretary M.T., along with their legal adviser Henri Tiphagne stated categorically that “he was arrested unlawfully in Delhi and remained under detention until his remand by another court”. It added further: “TN Police didn’t follow proper legal procedures”; claimed “women police abused” him during transportation from Delhi to Chennai inside a van taking him back home on way to Trichy.
Moreover, though we want an impartial inquiry into this case, we must emphasize that Mr. Shankar’s remarks about policewomen can never be justified.
In a statement on Wednesday, Red Pix Media general manager Jane Felix stated that the channel does not share ‘Savukku’ Shankar’s views about women constables and thus apologized for it.
Another significant point Ms Felix added is that the video with some objectionable comments made by Mr Shankar has been made “Private” and cannot be seen by anybody.
Ms. Felix said that Mr. Shankar’s comments on the video titled ‘Why Savukku Media is Targeted?’ (April 30, 2024) and which was an interview of him and his colleague Jerald were actually speaking for himself as an individual person and not representing Red Pix in any way.
