Ranveer Allahbadia Controversial Case
The Supreme Court heard YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia’s appeal on Monday regarding the obscene comments case. While the court granted him protection from arrest, it strongly criticized him for his remarks.
Ranveer Allahbadia was accused of making obscene comments about parents on Samay Raina’s show, “India’s Got Latent.” Following this, FIRs were filed against him in multiple states, including Maharashtra and Assam.
Ranveer then approached the Supreme Court with three requests:
All FIRs filed against him across India should be heard in one place.
He should be protected from arrest.
He was receiving threats and wanted protection.
Supreme Court’s Statement & Questions from the Judges
The court said that Allahbadia’s comments were inappropriate and disgusting, causing embarrassment to parents, daughters, and sisters. Justices Surya Kant and N Koteshwar Singh mentioned that multiple FIRs had been filed against him across the country, but no new cases would be registered in this matter.
Justice Surya Kant asked Allahbadia’s lawyer, Abhinav Chandrachud:
“How can you defend such language?”
“If this is not obscenity, then what is?”
Justice Surya Kant said, “He has very dirty thoughts in his mind, which he is expressing in the program. He is insulting parents. Why should the court defend Allahbadia?”
Allahbadia’s lawyer, Chandrachud, responded that his client is receiving threats.
Justice Surya Kant replied, “If you try to gain cheap publicity by saying such things, then others will also try to gain cheap publicity by threatening you.”
He further stated, “The words you used have embarrassed parents. Sisters and daughters will feel ashamed, and the entire society will be humiliated. This shows a distorted mindset.”
The court further stated that Allahbadia was publicly insulting parents for attention and cheap publicity.
Court Questions Lawyer’s Actions and Comments on Controversial Show
During the hearing, Justice Chandrachud mentioned that even when he went to the police station, the crowd pushed and shoved him. In response, Justice Surya Kant questioned why a lawyer was visiting the police station in the first place. He asked, “Under which law did you go to the police station? Just because you can offer them money, does that mean you will start providing services too? You are disrespecting your own uniform.”
Regarding the case, the court also stated that it was aware of the Australian show from which the controversial comment was copied. The judges noted that many other adult content shows exist, but they take proper precautions.
Ranveer Allahbadia’s lawyer defended him, saying that the episode in question was subscription-based. However, the controversy arose when a subscriber took a 10-second clip from the 45-minute paid video and posted it on YouTube, making it widely accessible.
What is the Case About?
Ranveer Allahbadia was accused of making offensive comments about parents on comedian Samay Raina’s show, India’s Got Latent. This led to FIRs being filed against him in Maharashtra, Assam, and other states. In response, Allahbadia filed a petition in the Supreme Court, requesting:
All FIRs against him be heard in one place.
Protection from arrest.
Protection from threats.
Court’s Warning to the Government
The bench asked the Attorney General whether the central government was planning to take action against such YouTubers. The court warned that if the government didn’t act, the judiciary would step in to regulate such content.
Controversial Episode & Its Impact
The episode of India’s Got Latent featuring Allahbadia was released on YouTube on February 8. The show is known for bold comedy content and has over 7.3 million subscribers. However, some comments in this episode were so offensive that news outlets refused to publish them.
After a subscriber shared a short clip from the paid episode, the controversy spread. FIRs were filed against both Samay Raina and Ranveer Allahbadia, along with 30 other guests who appeared on the show.
Further Actions & Government Involvement
Mumbai Cyber Police registered two FIRs against them.
The All Indian Cine Workers Association wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah demanding a ban on the show.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) summoned Allahbadia and Raina for questioning.
Parliament’s IT Committee is considering sending a notice to Allahbadia. Several MPs, including Priyanka Chaturvedi and Naresh Mhaske, raised concerns in Parliament and demanded stricter regulations for such content.