SC directs Tamil Nadu govt not to shift YouTuber Manish Kashyap from Madurai Central Prison
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Tamil Nadu government not to shift YouTuber Manish Kashyap, arrested for allegedly circulating fake videos of migrant labourers being attacked in the southern state, from the Madurai Central Prison.
A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha issued a notice to Tamil Nadu and Bihar governments on Kashyap's plea challenging his detention under the National Security Act.
"Apart from the relief sought under Article 32, the petitioner seeks to challenge the detention order under National Security Act (NSA). The petitioner is allowed to amend the plea. Issue notice on amended prayers.
"We direct that the petitioner be not moved from the Central Prison Madurai," the bench said. The matter has been posted for hearing on April 28.
Senior advocate Siddhartha Dave, appearing for Kashyap, submitted that NSA has been invoked against Kashyap. The arrested Youtuber also faces six FIRs in Tamil Nadu and three in Bihar.
Expressing surprise, CJI Chandrachud said, "NSA against him? Why this vengeance against this man?"
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Tamil Nadu, said Kashyap made fake videos claiming that migrant labourers from Bihar were getting attacked in Tamil Nadu.
"He has got 60 lakh followers. He is a politician. He has contested elections. He is not a journalist," Sibal said while opposing the transfer of cases to Bihar saying that the FIRs in Tamil Nadu were registered over the interviews he made in the southern state.
The top court had on April 11 issued notice to the Centre, Tamil Nadu and Bihar government on Kashyap's plea seeking clubbing of the FIRs lodged against him.
Kashyap has already been detained under the National Security Act, Sibal said and sought time to file a reply.
The counsel appearing for Kashyap who has also sought quashing of the FIRs lodged against him over the same alleged cause of action had told the apex court that his client has now been booked under the NSA.
According to Madurai Superintendent of Police Shiva Prasad, Kashyap has been detained under the NSA.
Kashyap had, on April 5, appeared before the Madurai district court that ordered that he be remanded in judicial custody for 15 days, following which he was sent to the Madurai central prison.
In his plea filed in the apex court, the petitioner had sought clubbing of all the FIRs registered against him in Tamil Nadu with those lodged in Bihar.
The petition also said the issue of alleged violence in Tamil Nadu against migrant labourers from Bihar was widely reported in the media and the petitioner, from March 1 onwards, raised his voice against it by making videos on social media platforms and writing content on Twitter.
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Hubballi: Gym trainer assaulted; police say clash due to personal reasons
Hubballi: A gym trainer was allegedly assaulted by a group of people following accusations of sexual assault and ‘love jihad’, even as both families involved in the case traded serious allegations.
According to police, a group of individuals went to the residence of Sameer Mulla, a resident of Vijayanagar, and questioned him over his friendship with a woman he had met at a gym. The situation escalated into a clash, during which he was allegedly dragged away and assaulted. He sustained minor injuries and was admitted to KIMS hospital.
N. Shashikumar said that after this incident, members from Sameer’s side went to the woman’s house, leading to another clash in which one person was injured. “It was wrong for groups to go near houses. We will take necessary legal action,” he said, adding that the incident appears to have arisen from personal reasons. Police have taken some individuals into custody and are investigating the matter.
Sameer Mulla was reportedly thrashed by a group of Sangh Parivar activists and later handed over to police at the Old Hubballi Police Station after relatives of the woman and members of Hindu organisations gathered at his residence in Rajnagar.
The woman’s family alleged assault and threats from Sameer’s relatives at their Vikas Nagar residence.
Meanwhile, Sameer’s family denied the allegations and accused the woman’s relatives and others of assaulting and kidnapping him. His sister said the two had been in a relationship for three years and that the allegations were baseless.
Police said statements from both sides have been recorded, and a detailed investigation is underway. Sameer remains hospitalised, and appropriate legal action will be taken based on findings.
In a video statement shared on social media, the 20-year-old woman alleged that Sameer had given her an intoxicant, recorded videos without her consent, and sexually assaulted her. She lodged a complaint alleging rape and blackmail, which police are investigating.
In another video, Sameer denied the allegations, claiming the video was recorded with consent and that the accusations were made under pressure.
Former Hubballi-Dharwad Urban Development Authority (HDUDA) chairman Nagesh Kalburgi termed the incident a serious matter and urged police to take strict action.
Police said the case involves multiple complaints from both sides, and further investigation is underway.
