The Madras High Court has restrained YouTuber and whistleblower Savukku Shankar from making any comments against G Square Realtors. The court also observed that caution should be exercised before voicing an opinion in any form of media and the opinion should first be put forth to the persons concerned before it is published. Justice CV Karthikeyan was hearing a civil suit filed by G Square Realtors seeking a sum of around Rs one crore in damages from Savukku Shankar.

“If ever anybody either through the print media or through electronic media or in any other form seeks to voice out opinion, caution should be exercised and a code should also be maintained that such opinion should be put forth in the first instance to the person who would be either directly or indirectly affected by such opinion expressed, obtain their remarks on the same and then put forward both the opinion and the remarks as an information to be disseminated to the general public and leave it to the general public to form their opinion,” the judge said while passing the order.

The judge also said that the company was “seriously aggrieved by the various statements” made by Shankar and that the statements can be assessed only when they are put to test during the course of trial. However, as the “defamatory statements” would affect the normal course of business and as they “do not appear to be based on facts”, the judge granted the relief sought by the company and restrained Shankar from passing any more comments on the matter. G Square Realtors had sought for a restraining order and a sum of Rs 1,00,10,000 as damages.

The court also observed that “expressing opinions without caution to facts would invite allegations that they are defamatory” and that it only establishes that Shankar did not exercise caution and there was intent to defame the company. The judge also issued a notice to the YouTuber, which is returnable by September 29.