Shajan Skaria, the figure behind the 'Marunadan Malayali' YouTube channel and a vocal government critic, has been freed on bail by a magisterial court. This occurred subsequent to his overnight detention by the Cyber Police in Trivandrum.
Skaria claims his arrest was an act of political vengeance, which he believes was directed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, purportedly as a consequence of Skaria's reporting on a financial transaction allegedly linked to the CM's daughter.
“Pinarayi’s hand is behind it,” he said.
Reportedly, Skaria was taken into custody while he was having dinner at his home, and he alleged that he was not even permitted to wear a shirt at the moment.
According to police officials, the arrest was followed by a formal complaint from Gaana Vijayan. News outlets have described Gaana as an expatriate banker working in the UAE. Her complaint was centred on Skaria's video content, which she alleged contained defamatory statements that harmed her reputation and accused him of spreading "false narratives."
Skaria is, reportedly, facing multiple non-bailable charges. These are said to include violations of BNS Sections 75(1), addressing sexually suggestive comments, and 79, concerning acts insulting female modesty.
Additionally, charges under Section 67 of the IT Act and Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act were taken against Skaria. Details of these charges emerged despite initial claims of limited disclosure from law enforcement. Furthermore, some sources suggested that Skaria himself may not have been fully apprised of the grounds for his arrest upon being detained.
Meanwhile, the BJP strongly condemned the arrest. BJP State President Rajeev Chandrasekhar denounced the detention as a "political vendetta" against government critics and questioned the justification for carrying out the arrest at night.
This is not Skaria's first encounter with the legal system. His history includes previous defamation lawsuits and an arrest concerning remarks made about MLA P.V. Sreenijin involving caste, a case where the Supreme Court eventually granted him bail. He is known for his staunch anti-establishment views and has also faced accusations of encouraging hate speech, specifically in relation to the Muslim community.