“All Women in Cinema are Prostitutes”: YouTuber’s Bail Fuels Online Firestorm

GG New Bureau
Thiruvananthapuram, 6th May: A single Facebook comment – “All women working in the cinema industry are prostitutes” – ignited a firestorm in Kerala, leading to the arrest of YouTuber Santhosh Varkey, widely known as ‘Arattannan’. Now, the case has taken a significant turn. The Kerala High Court granted conditional bail to Varkey on Friday.

Justice MB Snehalatha’s single bench stated that further custodial interrogation of the accused is not required, considering he has already been in judicial custody for 11 days. However, the court explicitly stated that Varkey must refrain from posting any defamatory or provocative statements on any social media platform while the case is pending.

The incident dates back to the night of April 20, 2025, when Varkey posted the controversial statement on Facebook. The remark spread like wildfire across social media, drawing strong condemnation from numerous figures in the film industry.

A case was registered based on a complaint filed by a female actor. The police registered an FIR under sections 75(1)(iv), 75(3), and 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000. These sections pertain to serious charges, including insulting the modesty of a woman and transmitting obscene material electronically.

The court stated in its order, “Prima facie, it is clear that the accused has posted a defamatory statement on Facebook. But at present, there is no need for custodial interrogation, and the investigation is progressing.”

This entire episode has once again ignited the debate surrounding the boundaries of freedom of speech and whether individuals can say anything they wish on social media, even if it harms the dignity of a particular section of society.

Now, all eyes are on whether Varkey will repeat such comments or exercise restraint on social media after this legal setback.