'Medical Bail Not For Making Reels': SC Refuses To Relax Curbs On YouTuber Savukku Shankar

Last Updated:January 30, 2026, 19:16 IST

The Supreme Court refused to entertain Shankar's Special Leave Petition seeking relaxation and modification of bail conditions

The SC expressed sharp disappointment with Shankar’s conduct since his release. File pic/PTI

In a firm rebuke of perceived “misuse of liberty", the Supreme Court refused to relax the stringent bail conditions imposed on YouTuber and journalist Shankar (@Savukku Shankar) on Friday. A division bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma upheld the Madras High Court’s restrictive orders, noting that Shankar had failed to honour the spirit of the medical bail granted to him just weeks ago.

The apex court’s decision came during a hearing for a Special Leave Petition filed by Shankar, seeking to modify conditions that effectively gag him from discussing his pending criminal cases. The bench expressed sharp disappointment with Shankar’s conduct since his release. “After going out on bail, you are treated as an outpatient… and thereafter, you start making reels and videos and putting them on YouTube," Justice Datta remarked. “That was not the purpose of the grant of bail. You are misusing your liberty."

The court was particularly moved by arguments from Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, who alleged that Shankar had flaunted a mobile phone in a video—the very device he had reportedly refused to hand over to investigators. Furthermore, the state argued that despite claiming life-threatening cardiac ailments to secure bail, Shankar had not sought follow-up hospitalisation and was instead “busy making reels".

Shankar was arrested on December 13, 2025, following allegations by a film producer of assault and extortion. While the Madras High Court granted him 12 weeks of interim bail on December 26—citing his history of heart disease and slamming the state for “abuse of process"—it later tightened the screws. Following reports of his social media activity, the High Court issued a “gag order" prohibiting him from making direct or indirect comments about the case, investigating officers, or witnesses.

Under the current conditions, which the Supreme Court has now refused to touch:

• Shankar must not make any public statements regarding the pending criminal proceedings.
• He is prohibited from contacting or intimidating witnesses and the co-accused.
• His movements are strictly restricted to seeking medical treatment or legal consultations.

The Supreme Court also supported the High Court’s directive for an independent evaluation by a medical board at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. Shankar is scheduled to appear before this board on February 2, with a report due in a sealed cover the following day.

The bench made it clear that if Shankar truly requires medical care, he should exercise restraint and focus on his health rather than social media commentary.

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