Chennai: The Madras High Court has issued a verdict ordering YouTuber Surender, also known as Naathikan, to pay ₹50 lakh as damages to Seva Bharati Trust for disseminating defamatory content. Seva Bharati, an organization affiliated with the RSS, had filed a petition against Surender for making derogatory remarks linking the trust to the custodial death of two Christian men in 2020. Justice N Satish Kumar passed this order, emphasizing that constitutional freedom of speech and expression should not be misused to tarnish the reputation of others.
The court highlighted that individuals cannot exploit their freedom of expression to invade others' privacy or damage their reputation. It underscored the responsibility of YouTubers and social media platforms to refrain from spreading false allegations that target innocent individuals. The decision stemmed from Seva Bharati's petition, seeking damages and injunctions against Surender for defamatory statements. Despite having no involvement in the deaths of the two men, the trust was subjected to baseless accusations by Surender in a YouTube video.
Surender alleged that Seva Bharati aimed to eradicate the Christian community, which the court deemed as defamatory and lacking merit. Consequently, the court ruled in favor of Seva Bharati, asserting its right to seek damages. The order emphasized the seriousness of the allegations made against the trust, highlighting the reputational damage caused and the potential impact on its activities. As a result, Surender was directed to pay ₹50 lakh as compensation to the trust.
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