The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a writ petition filed by D. Bharath, nephew of YouTuber and journalist Savukku Shankar, seeking quashing of the third preventive detention order passed against Shankar under the Tamil Nadu Goondas Act. A bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma heard the matter and directed the petitioner to approach the Madras High Court, observing that the High Court may hear the case expeditiously upon being so approached.

Shankar was arrested on 13 December 2025 in an extortion case registered under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Following his arrest, his mother approached the Madras High Court seeking medical treatment and a habeas corpus petition was also filed. Shankar secured interim bail on health grounds, with the High Court criticising the State for targeting him for exercising his right to dissent. In an intra-court appeal, a Division Bench refused to cancel the bail but imposed stringent conditions, including restrictions on making statements, interacting with co-accused or witnesses, and limiting his movement only for medical or legal purposes. When Shankar approached the Supreme Court seeking modification of these conditions, the same bench declined interference in January 2026, noting that he had started making reels and videos after being granted bail on medical grounds.

Shankar was due to surrender on 25 March 2026, but two fresh FIRs were registered against him on the same day at PS Puzhal. He was arrested in both cases on 8 April 2026. On 9 April 2026, the third preventive detention order was passed branding him a “goonda” under Section 2(f) of the Goondas Act. The petition filed by his nephew flagged a growing trend of abuse of preventive detention laws in Tamil Nadu and pointed out that not a single Goondas Act detention order passed in 2022 was upheld by the Madras High Court. It was alleged that Shankar was being repeatedly harassed by State agencies for exposing alleged illegal and corrupt activities of the ruling DMK government. The plea also highlighted that earlier two detention orders against him were quashed or revoked by judicial intervention. It was further contended that a copy of the FIR forming the ground for the latest detention order was not supplied to Shankar and that the order failed to demonstrate any prejudice to public order.

The Supreme Court, however, declined to entertain the petition directly under Article 32 and asked the petitioner to first approach the Madras High Court. Advocate Kanishka Singh and AoR K. Shiva appeared for the petitioner.

Case Title: D. Bharath v. The State of Tamil Nadu and Anr.
Writ Petition (Criminal) No. 142 of 2026