Thiruvananthapuram, May 6 — Shajan Skariah, editor and proprietor of the Malayalam-language YouTube news outlet Marunadan Malayali, was arrested late Monday night in Kerala following a defamation complaint filed by an Indian expatriate woman working in Dubai.
According to Indian media reports, Skariah was taken into custody by Thiruvananthapuram Cyber Police from his residence. The arrest stems from a series of videos posted on his channel that allegedly defamed the complainant by linking her to financial fraud and embezzlement involving another Indian expat, who had previously been arrested.
The woman, employed by a Dubai-based bank, was earlier featured in promotional content for a clinic reportedly operated by the accused expat and had been introduced as the clinic’s human resources representative.
While the complaint sought to invoke Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (related to outraging a woman’s modesty) and Section 120 of the Information Technology Act (criminal conspiracy), Skariah was granted bail in the early hours of Tuesday.
In a statement following his release, Skariah criticised the nature of his arrest, suggesting it was politically motivated. He alleged the move was in retaliation for his outlet’s critical coverage of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s administration.
The case has reignited debates on press freedom, online journalism ethics, and the growing influence of digital media platforms in India, particularly those operating outside traditional regulatory frameworks.
