Taking a serious view of “incendiary speeches” being uploaded on social media platforms, including YouTube, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has asked why such platforms should not be added as abettor/accused in such cases.
Justice B. Pugalendhi said that social media platforms were being used to tarnish the image of some people and abet crimes. Steps should be taken to curb such activities, the judge said and sought a report from the State in this regard. He wanted to know what steps were being taken to prevent this and if there was a mechanism to regulate this. How can anything be published/uploaded on social media platforms, the judge asked.
The court was hearing the petition filed by the police seeking the cancellation of bail granted to Naam Tamilar Katch functionary and YouTuber Sattai Durai Murugan. The police submitted Durai Murugan had violated bail conditions.
Earlier in a separate petition, the court had granted bail to Durai Murugan, following an undertaking that he would not pass derogatory remarks against anyone.He had used the images of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and BJP functionary Khushbu Sundar in a video . Subsequently, he had passed certain remarks against Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.
The court appointed advocate K.K. Ramakrishnan as amicus curiae to assist the court. The judge also asked other advocates to assist the court with their .submissions The State cannot be a silent spectator, the judge said.
During the course of the hearing, the judge was informed by the counsels that Goondas Act had been invoked against Durai Murugan and he was detained. The court adjourned the hearing in the case by a week.
