New Delhi, Jan 31: The Supreme Court of India on Friday declined to intervene in the bail conditions imposed on popular YouTuber and journalist Savukku Shankar by the Madras High Court, in a high-profile legal dispute involving allegations of assault and extortion.
A Bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma dismissed Shankar’s Special Leave Petition seeking relaxation of the bail conditions. The court said the High Court had acted within its judicial discretion when it set the restrictions and saw no reason to alter them.
Shankar was granted interim bail by the Madras High Court on medical grounds in December 2025 in connection with multiple criminal cases, including an extortion complaint filed by a film producer. However, the bail came with stringent conditions, including restrictions on his movement and prohibitions on making public statements related to the pending proceedings.
In their ruling, the Supreme Court justices noted that Shankar had repeatedly approached the apex court instead of seeking remedies through appropriate lower courts. The bench pointed out that although Shankar’s laptop and phone were seized, he had not applied to the trial magistrate to have them released, choosing instead to file petitions in the Supreme Court.
The court also criticised Shankar for actively creating videos and social media “reels” after being released on bail. The Bench observed that posting such content, especially about matters related to his case, went beyond the purpose of bail and amounted to misuse of the liberty granted by the courts.
Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra, representing the State, highlighted that Shankar had not cooperated with investigations, including refusing to hand over his mobile phone, which was important to the probe. The court said if Shankar was genuinely unwell, he should have focused on his treatment rather than producing online content.