Supreme Court Grants Interim Protection to YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia in Obscenity Case
The Supreme Court of India has granted interim protection from arrest to YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia, known for his channel "Beer Biceps", in relation to multiple FIRs filed against him in Mumbai, Guwahati, and Jaipur.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has granted interim protection from arrest to YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia, known for his channel “Beer Biceps”, in relation to multiple FIRs filed against him in Mumbai, Guwahati, and Jaipur.
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These FIRs were lodged following his alleged obscene remarks made during an episode of the online show India’s Got Latent.
Supreme Court Issues Interim Order
A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh issued an interim order, seeking a response from the authorities regarding Allahabadia’s petition that challenges the multiple FIRs against him. The court has also directed that no further FIRs be registered concerning the same YouTube show.
Conditional Relief for Allahabadia
The interim protection granted by the Supreme Court is conditional upon Allahabadia’s cooperation with the ongoing investigations. Additionally, the court has granted Allahabadia the liberty to seek police protection if he faces threats.
However, the court imposed further restrictions on Allahabadia, ordering him and his associates to refrain from airing any shows until further notice. Furthermore, Allahabadia has been instructed to surrender his passport as part of the conditions for receiving relief.
Supreme Court Criticizes Allahabadia’s Language
Despite granting the interim relief, the Supreme Court strongly criticized Allahabadia’s language used in the controversial episode. Justice Kant labeled it “dirty” and “perverted”, questioning whether such language could be defended in court. Allahabadia’s counsel, Advocate Abhinav Chandrachud, admitted the remarks were “disgusting” but argued they did not necessarily constitute a criminal offense.
However, Justice Kant responded by questioning the boundaries of such language, stating, “If this is not obscenity, then what is? Does the Apoorva Arora judgment give a license to say anything?”
Multiple FIRs Under Scrutiny
The bench also discussed the issue of multiple FIRs being filed against Allahabadia. While Chandrachud argued that multiple FIRs for the same offense were legally untenable, Justice Kant highlighted that the nature of the complaints varied, with one FIR specifically related to derogatory remarks about Arunachal Pradesh.
The court strongly expressed its disapproval of Allahabadia’s statements, stating, “There is something very dirty in his mind, which has been vomited in this programme… He is insulting his parents. Why should courts favor him?”
Death Threats and Legal Concerns
Chandrachud informed the court that Allahabadia had been receiving death threats due to the controversy, prompting Justice Kant to remark, “If you seek cheap publicity by making such remarks, others may seek cheap publicity by making threats.”
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The court also criticized the involvement of Allahabadia’s lawyer at the police station, raising questions about its legality and stating, “Just because you can pay, lawyers will start rendering these services? This insults the legal profession.”
Background of the Controversy
The controversy emerged from an episode of India’s Got Latent, a YouTube show hosted by comedian Samay Raina, in which Allahabadia appeared alongside other popular YouTubers. The episode featured explicit conversations that quickly went viral on social media, sparking public outrage.
Raina later issued an apology and deleted all the episodes, while Allahabadia also acknowledged the inappropriateness of his comments and issued an apology.
FIRs and Legal Actions
Following the backlash, Guwahati Police registered an FIR against the YouTubers involved, accusing them of “promoting obscenity and engaging in vulgar discussions.” Mumbai Cyber Cell and Jaipur Police have also lodged cases against the individuals.
On February 14, Chandrachud raised concerns about possible coercive action by Assam Police, but Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna did not intervene at that stage.
Meanwhile, Ashish Chanchlani, another YouTuber featured in the episode, has approached the Gauhati High Court seeking anticipatory bail in relation to the FIR filed against him over the same controversy.
