The Supreme Court on Friday set aside Madras High Court’s bail condition on YouTuber Felix Gerald to shut down his channel in order to be granted bail. On September 6, 2024, Gerald was asked to remove his YouTube channel, RedPix 24×7, by the High Court. This order was stayed by a three-judge panel led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud. The Supreme Court panel stated on Friday that the “imposition of such a condition was unwarranted and extraneous for a decision on the application for bail”.
The bench has said that the petitioner has already been released on bail in connection with FIR for offences punishable under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 2002 and Information Technology Act, 2000. “While granting him bail, the HC directed that the petitioner shall close down his YouTube channel. We are of the view that imposition of such a condition was unwarranted and extraneous for a decision on the application for bail,” the bench stated.
The bench ordered that the petitioner should be released on bond, regardless of the high court’s requirement to that effect. “We accordingly set aside the condition with the high court to the effect that the respondent shall close his YouTube channel. The September 6, 2024 order passed by this court shall stand confirmed with the above clarification,” it said.
Gerald was taken into custody for allegedly conducting an objectionable interview with YouTuber Savukku Shankar on his channel, during which Shankar made disparaging remarks about judges of the Madras High Court and female police officers. On July 31, the high court granted Gerald bail but demanded that he shut down his channel.
