NEW DELHI: Observing that everyone who makes
allegations
on
social media
cannot be put behind bars,
Supreme Court
on Monday restored the
bail
of Youtuber 'Sattai' Durai Murugan, against whom a case was registered for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin in 2021.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan quashed a Madras HC order cancelling his bail.
However, Murugan remained on bail as top court had stayed HC order which has now been set aside.
"If before elections we start putting behind bars everyone who makes allegations on YouTube, imagine how many will be jailed?" the bench asked senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who was appearing for TN govt.
Rohatgi said the court should impose conditions on Murugan to restrain him from making any "scandalous" remarks while on bail. The bench, however, turned down his plea and said, "Who shall decide whether a statement is scandalous or not?"
The court order said, "By the impugned order, the benefit of bail granted to the appellant was cancelled. This court continued the interim bail earlier, he continues to be on bail for 2.5 years. All the same, we do not find grounds to cancel bail. We thus quash HC order cancelling bail, and restore the earlier order granting bail. Needless to say, cancellation of bail can be applied for if deemed fit."
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