Madras High Court Weekly Round-Up: July 28 - August 03, 2025

NOMINAL INDEX

CJ Christopher Signi v State of Tamil Nadu, 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 257

A Shankar @ Savukku Shankar v. The Secretary to Government and Others, 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 258

S. H. Zarina Begum v. The State, 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 259

M Pravin v. The Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Others, 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 260

Harinaa v. The Regional Passport Officer, 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 261

C. Ve Shanmugam v The Chief Election Commissioner, 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 262

REPORT

Madras HC Allows Forensic Examination Of Video In Corruption Case, Says Apprehension That Content May Be Altered No Ground To Refuse Analysis

Case Title: CJ Christopher Signi v State of Tamil Nadu

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 257

The Madras High Court recently noted that an apprehension that some contents may be altered was not a ground for refusing forensic examination. The court added that such apprehension only reinforces the need for an expert analysis.

“The apprehension that the contents may have been altered is not a justification for refusing forensic examination. On the contrary, such concerns reinforce the need for expert analysis. A determination as to whether the files were edited or manipulated can only be reached by a competent forensic authority, not through assumptions or oral statements by lay witnesses,” the court said.

Justice B Pugalendhi noted that the issue of whether compelling voice samples would be violative of the fundamental right to privacy was no longer res integra and the right to privacy can be curtailed when there is a larger public interest involved.

Madras High Court Rejects Youtuber Savukku Shankar's Plea Alleging Police Interference In His Media Company, Expedites Probe

Case Title: A Shankar @ Savukku Shankar v. The Secretary to Government and Others

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 258

The Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by YouTuber Savukku Shankar alleging that the Commissioner of Police, Vepery, had been interfering with the functioning of his company “Savukku Media”.

The court said that there was no material to show that the commissioner was interfering with the working of the company.

“Since there are several complaints against the Petitioner (Shankar) which are under investigation, prima facie there is no material to show that the 3rd respondent (Commissioner) is interfering with the functioning of the petitioner organisation,” the court said.

Justice Velmurugan was hearing a petition filed by Shankar alleging that the Commissioner was subjecting him and his employees to various unlawful actions since he had been exposing police atrocities and misconduct through his YouTube channel. He had alleged that the police had been tracking his movements and subjecting him to harassment.

Case Closed But Closure Report Not Filed: Madras High Court Suspends DySP Citing 'Clear Disregard For Rule Of Law'

Case Title: S. H. Zarina Begum v. The State

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 259

The Madras High Court has directed the Director General of Police to place a Deputy Superintendent of Police under suspension for failing to submit a closure report and for failing to comply with the mandatory procedure prescribed under Section 173 of the CrPC.

Justice P Velmurugan noted that it was not an isolated case and on several instances, the court was coming across cases in which complaints were closed without filing any final report before the competent court. In the present case, the court noted that though the decision to close the case was taken in 2022, the final report was not filed before the concerned court till a notice was issued on the present plea.

The court added that if the present case had not been filed, the inaction would have continued indefinitely, and the closure report might never have been filed. The court remarked that the approach of the police reflected a serious lapse in adherence to legal procedure and a denial of justice to the affected parties.

Madras High Court Dismisses Plea To Regulate Media Reporting Of Aviation Accidents

Case Title: M Pravin v. The Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Others

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 260

The Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed a plea calling upon the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Director General of Civil Aviation, and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to issue necessary guidelines/advisories for media reporting in the aftermath of aviation accidents.

The bench of Chief Justice MM Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan dismissed the plea filed by Advocate M Pravin.

Pointing to the recent media reporting in the aftermath of the Ahmedabad Plane Crash, Pravin said that often, after aviation incidents, news agencies and social media platforms publish unverified content prejudicing and attributing the blame to the pilots. It was also submitted that such prejudicial reporting damages the reputation of pilots and their career prospects and affects their personal dignity and well-being.

Madras High Court Asks MEA To Reconsider Passport For 'Stateless' Woman, Finds 'Overwhelming Records' Of Her Birth In India

Case Title: Harinaa v. The Regional Passport Officer

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 261

The Madras High Court has directed the passport authorities to consider an application filed by a “Stateless woman”, born to Sri Lankan parents, seeking an Indian passport.

Justice C Saravanan of the Madurai bench noted that there were overwhelming records available to indicate that the woman was born in India and was issued a Birth Certificate. The court also noted that documents had been produced to show that the woman had completed her schooling in India and had also pursued her undergraduate degree in India. The court thus noted that there was nothing to show that the woman had travelled from Sri Lanka or that she had entered the country illegally.

Name Or Symbol Of Political Party, Photo Of Former CMs Can't Be Used To Advertise Govt Welfare Schemes: Madras High Court Interim Order

Case Title: C. Ve Shanmugam v The Chief Election Commissioner

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 262

The Madras High Court has made it clear that while launching and operating a government welfare scheme, the advertisements should not contain the name of any living personality, photograph of any former Chief Minister/ideological leader or party insignia, emblem, or flag of the party.

The bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan noted that the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Common Cause and others, had clarified that publication of a photograph of the incumbent Chief Minister was permissible but use of photographs of ideological leaders or former Chief Ministers was prima facie against the directives of the Supreme Court.

The bench also noted that it was impermissible to mention the name of political personalities in the nomenclature of a government scheme. The court also noted that using the name of any ruling political party was also against the directives of the Supreme Court and the Election Commission of India.

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

"Most Unfortunate": Madras High Court On Retired Judges Making Comments About Action Against Lawyer For Alleging Caste Bias By Judge

Case Title: Dr. D Vetrichelvan v The Tamil University and Others

Case No: WA (MD) No. 510 of 2023

The Madras High Court on Monday said that it was “unfortunate” that some judges were making remarks against the action taken by the court, summoning an Advocate seeking an explanation for alleging caste bias on a judge of the bench.

The bench of Justice GR Swaminathan and Justice K Rajasekaran was hearing the case in which the court had summoned Advocate Vanchinathan to explain if he stood by his statement that one of the judges of the bench (Justice Swaminathan) was exhibiting caste and communal bias. The bench has now placed the matter before the Chief Justice for further orders.

After the action was initiated against Vanchinathan last week, eight retired judges of the High Court had made an 'appeal' to the bench to give up any action taken and remarked that the action against Vanchinathan was premature. The retired judges remarked that the bench should have awaited any decision by the CJI on the complaint given by Vanchinathan.

Launching Communal Campaign Against Judges On Social Media Would Weaken System Itself, Time To Regulate It: Madras High Court

Case Title: Dr. D Vetrichelvan v The Tamil University and Others

Case No: WA (MD) No. 510 of 2023

The Madras High Court on Monday remarked that launching communal campaigns against judges on social media would eventually weaken the judicial system itself, and it is time to regulate the level of discourse on social media.

The bench of Justice GR Swaminathan and Justice K Rajasekar was taking up the case in which the bench had summoned Advocate S Vanchinathan to explain if he stood by his statement that one of the judges of the bench (Justice Swaminathan) was exhibiting caste and communal bias. The matter has now been placed before the Chief Justice for further orders.

The bench, in its order, said that when a judge sits on the dias, he discharges his judicial duties as per his conscience and by adhering to the judicial oath. The bench added that while discharging the judicial function, a judge cannot be said to carry his caste and communal bias, and any person continuing to have such perception has jaundiced eyes. The court added that there were remedies provided under the legal system if a person was aggrieved and without doing so, some people have launched social media campaigns against the judges.

Rithanya Dowry Death Case: Madras High Court Seeks Comprehensive Postmortem Report, Criticizes Investigating Agency's 'Mechanical' Attitude

Case Title: KE Kavin Kumar v. State

Case No: Crl OP 20949 of 2025

Expressing dissatisfaction with how the postmortem report was filed in the dowry-related death of Rithanya in Tiruppur last month, the Madras High Court, on Thursday, ordered a comprehensive forensic report to be filed.

Justice M Nirmal Kumar said that the postmortem report was not complete and did not contain details about the physical abuse that was allegedly meted out to Rithanya, before her death.

The court also remarked that it had become an attitude for the investigating agencies to collect materials mechanically without actually using the manpower to investigate a case.