The Madras High Court refused bail to biker-vlogger TTF Vasan alias Vaikunthavasan (23) in a case of rash driving on Thursday, October 5. Justice CV Karthikeyan dismissed the bail application stating that it should “serve as a lesson” to Vasan and others who try to emulate him. While hearing the bail plea, the Judge also made oral remarks that Vasan’s YouTube channel should be shut down and his bike should be burned. Vasan was arrested in September for rash driving on a public road.
This is the third time that the vlogger has been refused bail in the case. He had approached the High Court after being denied bail twice by Kanchipuram district court, on September 21 and 26. In his plea at the HC, Vasan said that while he rode at moderate speed, the accident took place because he applied a sudden brake to avoid hitting cattle that were crossing the road. He said that he has not been able to get proper treatment for the injuries he sustained, and sought bail for the same.
Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Kishore Kumar argued that Vasan had nearly 4.5 million followers on YouTube, many of whom try to imitate him. He also told the court that many youngsters ask their parents to buy them premium bikes and even attempt stealing and chain snatching to do so. They ride rashly on public roads, endangering others’ lives, Kishore Kumar said. He also said that the bike that Vasan rode at the time of the accident cost around Rs 20 lakhs, while his bike riding suit was worth Rs 2 lakh, which helped him escape the accident with minor injuries.
Justice Karthikeyan, after hearing the arguments, said, “It is a lesson for him. Let him be in custody”. He also directed a doctor to examine Vasan’s fractured arm. It was then that the judge remarked orally that his bike should be burnt and his YouTube channel stopped.
Vasan was travelling on the Chennai-Vellore National Highway on September 17 when the accident took place. Visuals of the incident show him speeding on the highway and violently crashing on the side of the road, after which he was thrown from the vehicle. Fortunately, no other person was harmed in the incident. He was arrested on September 19 by Baluchetty Chatram police, who booked him for rash driving, endangering life or personal safety of others, attempt to commit culpable homicide, and dangerous driving. He has been booked by the police multiple times by the police for over-speeding.