YouTuber Felix Gerald moves Delhi HC alleging law abuse by TN police, demands Rs 1 crore compensation

NEW DELHI: YouTuber Felix Gerald on Monday moved the Delhi High Court alleging violation of his human rights by the Tamil Nadu police, which reportedly detained him illegally.

Following his plea, Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri granted him time to file additional documents in support of his contention.

Gerald was allegedly arrested for hosting an "objectionable" interview of another YouTuber Savukku Shankar on his YouTube channel. The interview purportedly contains objectionable remarks against the Madras High Court and the women police officers of the Tamil Nadu police.

The high court listed the matter on December 16.

Jerald, a journalist, claimed he was illegally detained for two days by the Tamil Nadu police officials and his whereabouts were not disclosed to his family members or friends with an "ill motive".

He alleged non-compliance of provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure during his arrest in violation of his fundamental rights.

The plea, filed by advocates Surya Prakash and Avinash Kumar, sought a direction to state of Tamil Nadu and several police officials to pay Rs 1 crore compensation for the pain, suffering, humiliation and loss of reputation caused to the petitioner.

The plea said Jerald, owner of "RedPix 24×7" YouTube channel interviewed a critic and journalist Savukku Shankar on April 30, highlighting the alleged targeting of Savukku Media, the latter's news outlet, by the Tamil Nadu ruling dispensation.

Following the interview, Shankar was arrested by the Coimbatore police for his allegations against the women police personnel on May 4.

Gerald's channel was also made as accused in the FIR, it said.

According to the plea, Gerald had an appointment with the Press Council of India chairperson on May 11 and he had planned to extend his stay in Delhi for two more days.

However, at around 11 pm on May 10, he was "unexpectedly abducted by unknown persons claiming to be from the police department of Tamil Nadu", the plea stated.

"It is learnt that they were the police personnel from Trichy Rural District, Tamil Nadu, and secured the petitioner in connection with a case of Trichy Cyber Crime Police Station, which was one of subsequently registered FIR for the same interview of April 30," it alleged.

Gerald was stated to have not been made aware of the subsequent FIR, his implication and not been served with a prior notice under Section 41A of the Code of Criminal Procedure to appear before the investigation agency.

Further, it was alleged the petitioner was neither provided with a copy of the FIR nor informed of the grounds of his arrest.

The police was accused of not informing his family about their action and not producing him before the court concerned in Delhi to carry out the transit process or before a local court in Trichy within 24 hours after his arrest.

The plea claimed after keeping his whereabouts undisclosed for 66 hours, Gerald was produced before a Tiruchirappalli court on May 13 at around 5 pm and remanded to 15 days police custody.

On July 31, the Madras High Court granted him bail with a directive to shut down his YouTube channel.

The Supreme Court, however, stayed the Madras High Court order.

Before the Delhi High Court Gerald has alleged facing "gross human rights violations" at the hands of the Tamil Nadu police.