New Delhi. The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Tamil Nadu government not to transfer YouTuber Manish Kashyap, arrested for allegedly circulating fake videos of attacks on migrant laborers in the southern state, from the Madurai Central Prison.
Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice P.S. Narasimha issued notice to Tamil Nadu and Bihar governments on Kashyap’s plea challenging his detention under the National Security Act (NSA). The detention order issued against him has also been challenged under the law. The petitioner is allowed to amend the petition. Issue notice on the amended petition.
“We direct the petitioner not to be shifted from Madurai Central Jail,” the bench said. Further hearing of the matter will be held on April 28. Advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Kashyap, said that a case under the NSA has been registered against his client. Six FIRs have already been registered against YouTuber in Tamil Nadu and three in Bihar. Chief Justice Chandrachud expressed surprise at this and said, “NSA against him? Why such a vendetta against this person?
Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, said Kashyap made fake videos claiming that migrant laborers from Bihar were being attacked in Tamil Nadu. He has ’60 lakh’ followers, Sibal said. He is a politician. He has contested the election. He is not a journalist. Sibal opposed the transfer of cases to Bihar, saying the FIR was registered in Tamil Nadu on the basis of interviews conducted in the southern state.
The apex court had on April 11 issued notices to the Tamil Nadu and Bihar governments, asking them to respond to YouTuber Manish Kashyap’s plea within a week. Sibal said Kashyap has been taken into custody under the NSA and sought time to file a reply. The counsel appearing for Kashyap sought quashing of multiple FIRs lodged against him with the same alleged cause of action. While doing this, he told the apex court that his client has now been booked under the NSA.
According to Madurai Superintendent of Police Siva Prasad, Kashyap has been detained under the NSA. Kashyap was produced before the Madurai district court on April 5. The court ordered Kashyap to be sent to judicial custody for 15 days after which Kashyap was sent to the Madurai Central Prison.
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