The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim anticipatory bail to Kerala-based journalist TP Nandakumar in a high-profile defamation case.
The vacation bench of Justices Sandeep Mehta and Prasanna B Varale issued notice on his plea while directing that if arrested, he must be released on regular bail by the trial court.
Controversial YouTube Video
The case centers around a video uploaded on Nandakumar’s channel “Crime Online”, which allegedly contained defamatory and sexually derogatory remarks against a prominent woman politician. The prosecution claims the video was designed to intimidate the victim and damage her reputation.
Legal Charges & High Court’s Stand
An FIR was registered under:
Section 75(1)(iv) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (insulting a woman’s modesty)
Section 79 (intimidation and reputational harm)
Section 351(1)(2) (disseminating obscene content electronically)
Section 67 of the IT Act, 2000 (publishing obscene material online)
The Kerala High Court previously denied him relief and directed him to surrender before police, prompting his appeal to the Supreme Court.
The apex court has listed the matter for further hearing after six weeks.
The interim bail provides Nandakumar with temporary protection, but the legal battle over free speech, digital content regulation, and defamation laws remains unresolved.
Legal experts are closely watching this case, as it could set a precedent for similar disputes involving media freedom and online expression.
Read More: Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, States High Court, International
