[YouTuber Assault case] Vijay P Nair intervenes in assailants' pre-arrest bail plea in Kerala HC, says no one can take law into their own hands

The Kerala High Court today heard an intervention application filed by YouTuber Vijay P Nair in the anticipatory bail proceedings moved by his assailants who had attacked him for making objectionable remarks against women in his videos (Bhagyalakshmi K. v. State of Kerala)..The YouTuber was assaulted by dubbing artist Bhagyalakshmi and two others, Sajna NS (Diya Sana) and Sreelakshmi Arackal, with the video of the assault being shared widely on social media..Justice Ashok Menon heard the complainant's (Nair's) submissions today..The three women rushed to controversial Nair’s office on September 26 and poured black ink and nettle oil on his face for his vulgar remarks against one of the women and slurs on ‘feminists’ generally..The assault was streamed live on Facebook. After they threw black oil on his face, they left the house with his phone and laptop.."She is camouflaging herself as a feminist", arguments in Youtuber assault case; Kerala High Court reserves order.Nair's counsel Advocate Arjun Venugopal contended that the women's acts constituted an act of vigilantism because they "took the law into their own hands" in committing an assault upon him. This should not be encouraged, he stated..Equating what the women did to mob violence, the Counsel vehemently argued against allowing their bail applications. ."Whether you are a feminist or a male chauvinist this principle will apply."Advocate Arjun Venugopal on how vigilantism could not be encouraged in any form.Additionally, he submitted:The High Court should desist from allowing the anticipatory bail pleas since the pleas were moved only a few days after an Additional Sessions Judge rejected their pleas,The three came with the intention to rob the accused, which was evident from their slapping him, throwing oil and ink, and leaving the house with his laptop and phone,Nair did not have know any of these people personally prior to the act, he did not invite them to his office, andTaking away the phone and laptop were done with the intention to cause him wrongful loss, the duration of their custody of the devices was immaterial..Advocate S Renjith appeared for the women today, asserting that they did not have any dishonest intention in taking away Nair's electronic devices. Iterating that they went to Nair's home after he invited them, he pointed out that they did not carry ink with them but that it was on Nair's table when they went..After hearing the counsels, Justice Menon declared his intention to pronounce judgment at a later date..After their assault on Nair, Bhagyalakshmi, Diya Sana, and Arackal were booked under Sections 452 (House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 294 B (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), 392 (punishment for robbery), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.They asserted that they were constrained to take action against Nair after their complaints to the police about Nair's offensive YouTube video elicited no response.