New Delhi, 18 June

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to a Kerala-based journalist booked by the police for allegedly publishing a defamatory video against a prominent woman politician on his YouTube channel-Crime Online.

A bench comprising Justices Sandeep Mehta and Prasanna B Varale issued notice to the Kerala government and the station house officer of the police station concerned on the anticipatory bail plea of journalist Nandakumar TP.

Taking note of the submissions, the bench said in the event of arrest, the journalist will be released on bail by the trial court upon on a bond and sureties as directed by the judge.

It also directed the journalist to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.

An FIR was lodged against the journalist under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for offences of outraging a woman’s modesty, intimidation and intent to cause reputational harm, and dissemination of obscene content electronically.

He was also booked under Section 67 of the Information Technology Act which penalises publication or transmission of obscene material in electronic form.

The state police alleged a YouTube video posted by Nandakumar contained derogatory, sexually coloured, and threatening remarks aimed at humiliating and tarnishing the reputation of the woman leader.

The Kerala High Court on 9 June declined to grant Nandakumar anticipatory bail and directed him to surrender before the police.

The high court order was challenged in the top court, which posted the plea after six weeks.