Explain why National Security Act was invoked against Bihar YouTuber, SC tells Tamil Nadu

The court was hearing a petition by Manish Kashyap, who has been accused of posting fake videos about attacks on migrant workers in the southern state.

Apr 21, 2023 - 17:30

Explain why National Security Act was invoked against Bihar YouTuber, SC tells Tamil Nadu

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Tamil Nadu government to explain why it invoked the National Security Act against a YouTuber from Bihar who was arrested for spreading fake videos of attacks on migrant workers, PTI reported.

Last month, several videos had been shared on social media showing migrant labourers, especially from Bihar, being attacked and even killed in Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu Police and state officials as well as fact-checkers said that the claims were fake. The police filed cases against Kashyap, Uttar Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Prashant Umrao, Hindi newspaper Dainik Bhaskar, pro-government website OpIndia editor Nupur Sharma and chief executive officer Rahul Roushan for spreading disinformation.

On April 6, Kashyap was detained under the National Security Act, which allows for detention for up to a year without trial.

Chief Justice DY Chandrachud on Friday expressed surprise at the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to invoke the stringent preventive detention law against the YouTuber. “NSA against him?” he asked, according to PTI. “Why this vengeance against this man?”

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, told the court that Kashyap made fake videos claiming that migrant labourers from Bihar were being attacked in the southern state.

The Supreme Court directed the Tamil Nadu government not to shift Kashyap from the...