Fake video case: Madras HC quashes detention order against YouTuber Manish

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has set aside the detention order against YouTuber Manish Kashyap under the National Security Act (NSA) in connection with a fake video case. Justice M Sundar and Justice R Sakthivel of the Madurai bench of the High Court on Friday dropped the proceedings against Kashyap under the NSA but allowed those under the Information Technology Act to continue.

While quashing the detention order, the HC observed that the authorities had not followed due procedure while detaining Kashyap under the NSA Act. The court thus directed Kashyap to be set at liberty if he was not needed in connection with any other case.

Manish Kashyap's brother Tribhuvan Kumar Tiwari had filed a petition in the Madurai bench of Madras High Court seeking to quash the detention order. In the petition, Delhi-based Tiwari sought to revoke the National Security Act against Kashyap. "In 2018, my brother Manish Kashyap created a YouTube page called 'Sach Tak News Channel' and recorded the grievances and corruption of the people of Bihar in videos and created awareness through YouTube.

Due to such activities, he became the most popular person on social media," petitioner Tiwari claimed. The petition further stated, "He (Kashyap) contested the 2020 Bihar assembly election and got 9239 votes. Bihar Police arrested Manish Kashyap in a case where he posted a video of Bihar workers being attacked in Tamil Nadu. Then they handed over the case to the Madurai Police.

The Madurai police arrested Kashyap under the National Security Act and lodged him in the Madurai Central Jail. Also, the National Security Act against Manish should be revoked."

The case pertains to a complaint lodged in connection with a fake video that was uploaded on YouTube in March this year claiming that migrant workers from Bihar were being assaulted in Tamil Nadu and that they were not safe in the state.