Kerala High Court grants bail to YouTuber Santhosh Varkey aka Arattannan

The Kerala High Court on Friday granted bail to YouTuber Santhosh Varkey, also known as Arattannan, who was arrested for allegedly making a derogatory Facebook post against women in the film industry [Santhosh Varkey @ Arattannan v State of Kerala]..Justice MB Snehalatha granted bail after noting that no further custodial interrogation was required and given that the accused had already been in judicial custody for 11 days."Prima facie, a Facebook post has been made by the accused and prima facie, a disparaging statement has been made by him ... Having heard the submissions, this Court finds that the investigation of the case is progressing. No custodial interrogation is required and the prosecution has no case that any custodial interrogation is required," the Court said, while granting bail..Bail was granted with conditions, including a direction that the YouTuber must not make any derogatory statement of a similar nature in any social media accounts during the pendency of the proceedings..The case relates to a Facebook post allegedly made by Varkey on the night of April 20, 2025, in which he claimed that 'all women in the cinema industry are prostitutes'.The post quickly went viral and led to widespread backlash for its defamatory and sweeping attack on women working in the film sector.A crime was registered based on a complaint by a woman actor, who is the de-facto complainant in the case..An FIR was registered under Sections 75(3) read with 75(1)(iv) and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000.Sections 75(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), when read with 75(1)(iv) and 79, address sexual harassment and acts intended to insult a woman's modesty, while Section 67 of the IT Act criminalises publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form..During the hearing, the counsel for Varkey submitted that he had already spent 11 days in jail and that there was no purpose in continuing his detention.It was also argued that even if the allegations were taken at face value, the ingredients of Section 67 of the IT Act were not attracted. “It is at best a case of defamation and not an offence under the IT Act,” the counsel submitted.The YouTuber also expressed his willingness to comply with any conditions imposed by the Court..Santhosh Varkey was represented by Advocate Alex K John..[Read Order]