YouTuber Shajan Skaria arrested, released

The editor and publisher of YouTube channel Marunadan Malayali, Shajan Skaria, was arrested by Kochi city police on a petition lodged by P.V. Sreenijin, MLA, under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. However, he was later released on bail after appearing before the Central Assistant Commissioner of Police. The Supreme Court had given him protection from arrest, but had not quashed the case. The court found that while Mr. Skaria’s comments may have been defamatory, they did not amount to a caste slur as alleged. The case was registered based on accusations made through a video uploaded on his channel, but the court stated that the statements may have been in bad taste, but were not offenses under the Act.