NEW DELHI: A local court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to YouTuber Sameer MD , who is facing criminal charges over content linked to the Dharmasthala mass burial case.
Dharmasthala police had registered a case after Sameer allegedly caused public outrage by uploading an AI-generated video that contained fabricated details about the case.
Dakshina Kannada SP Arun K said the video, reportedly generated using artificial intelligence, included fabricated details beyond those provided by the complainant witness in the official complaint and court proceedings.
Sameer was booked under Sections 192 (provocation with intent to cause riot), 240 (false information) and 353(1)(b) (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita .
The charges come against the backdrop of the ongoing SIT probe into the Dharmasthala case. In July 2025, a former sanitation worker alleged that, between 1995 and 2014, he was forced to bury or burn hundreds of bodies, many showing signs of violence and sexual assault. His claims triggered a state-level investigation, which is still underway.
This is not the first time the YouTuber has landed in legal trouble. Earlier this year, a Bengaluru court issued notice in a ₹10-crore defamation suit filed by Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala representatives D Harshendra Kumar and Nischal D, accusing him of deliberately targeting the institution over the unsolved 2008 college student murder case.
Sameer, who commands a sizeable online following, has often argued that his work highlights issues neglected by mainstream media. Authorities, however, contend that his recent content amounted to provocation and misinformation, with the potential to disturb public order.
While granting bail, the court directed him to cooperate with the investigation and refrain from making any inflammatory statements. Police sources added that monitoring of online content related to sensitive cases would continue to prevent the spread of misinformation and unrest.
Dharmasthala police had registered a case after Sameer allegedly caused public outrage by uploading an AI-generated video that contained fabricated details about the case.
Dakshina Kannada SP Arun K said the video, reportedly generated using artificial intelligence, included fabricated details beyond those provided by the complainant witness in the official complaint and court proceedings.
Sameer was booked under Sections 192 (provocation with intent to cause riot), 240 (false information) and 353(1)(b) (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita .
The charges come against the backdrop of the ongoing SIT probe into the Dharmasthala case. In July 2025, a former sanitation worker alleged that, between 1995 and 2014, he was forced to bury or burn hundreds of bodies, many showing signs of violence and sexual assault. His claims triggered a state-level investigation, which is still underway.
This is not the first time the YouTuber has landed in legal trouble. Earlier this year, a Bengaluru court issued notice in a ₹10-crore defamation suit filed by Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala representatives D Harshendra Kumar and Nischal D, accusing him of deliberately targeting the institution over the unsolved 2008 college student murder case.
Sameer, who commands a sizeable online following, has often argued that his work highlights issues neglected by mainstream media. Authorities, however, contend that his recent content amounted to provocation and misinformation, with the potential to disturb public order.
While granting bail, the court directed him to cooperate with the investigation and refrain from making any inflammatory statements. Police sources added that monitoring of online content related to sensitive cases would continue to prevent the spread of misinformation and unrest.
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