In a significant development, YouTuber Felix Gerald has been arrested in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, following derogatory remarks made against women police personnel during an interview. The arrest came after a case was filed by the Cyber Crime Police in Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu, where Gerald is the second accused in the case.
Gerald, who owns the RedPix 24×7 YouTube channel, was apprehended by Tamil Nadu Police and is set to be brought back to Tiruchi after obtaining a transit warrant from a magistrate. The case against him stems from derogatory comments made during an interview with YouTuber Savakku Shankar, causing immense distress to women police officers, according to a complaint lodged by M.A. Yasmin, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Musiri.
The arrest of Gerald follows the earlier apprehension of Shankar on May 8, also implicated in the case for similar remarks. The Madras High Court, in response to the growing trend of derogatory content on YouTube channels, had remarked that such channels were becoming a menace to society, emphasizing the need for regulatory intervention.
Superintendent of Police, Tiruchi V. Varun Kumar, revealed that Gerald had fled to Noida after the Madras High Court’s observation against him, prompting Tiruchi Police to track him down and effectuate his arrest on Friday. Gerald faces charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Information Technology (IT) Act, and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.
The case, registered against both Shankar and Gerald, includes charges of insulting the modesty of women, transmitting obscene material electronically, and obstructing a public servant from performing duties. The Tiruchi Rural Police highlighted the adverse impact of the derogatory video on women police personnel’s personal and social lives, emphasizing the seriousness of the offense.
Sources By Agencies