Full Breakdown
Savukku Shankar Sentenced to Three Years for Harassment of Former Sun TV Anchor
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Court Verdict and Sentencing
On a Tuesday, the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sivashakthi of the Egmore court convicted YouTuber and political commentator Savukku Shankar under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act and imposed a three-year imprisonment term. The judge also granted Shankar a 30-day window to file an appeal against the conviction.
Origins of the Complaint
The case stems from a police complaint lodged in 2013 by Mahalakshmi, a former Sun TV newsreader and advocate. Mahalakshmi alleged that Shankar published defamatory remarks about her personal life on his “Savukku” website, fabricated documents, and threatened her while demanding money for removal of the posts. Her allegations formed the basis for the prosecution’s case.
Prior Legal Encounters
Shankar’s legal history includes a six-month contempt sentence in September 2022 for remarks that the judiciary was “riddled with corruption.” In May 2024, Coimbatore police arrested him over alleged derogatory comments about women police personnel, and a separate narcotics case led to bail in July 2024 followed by preventive detention under the Goondas Act. The state government revoked that detention order on May 19, 2026. These earlier matters are unrelated to the current harassment conviction but illustrate the pattern of multiple criminal proceedings against him.
Official Judicial Findings
The magistrate concluded that the prosecution proved the harassment charges, noting that Shankar’s online posts targeted Mahalakshmi and constituted harassment under the women-protection statute. Shankar’s counsel maintained that the allegations were false and that the complaints were fabricated, but the court rejected this defense.
Upcoming Legal Steps
Shankar must decide within the allotted 30 days whether to challenge the verdict in a higher court. The appeal will determine whether the three-year sentence stands or is modified, and it will be the next focal point of his ongoing legal battles.