SC extends interim protection to YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia

NEW DELHI,APR 1 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended its interim order of granting protection to popular YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia after multiple FIRs were registered against him — in Mumbai, Jaipur and Guwahati — over his alleged remarks on parents and sex during comedian Samay Raina’s YouTube show India’s Got Latent.

While extending the interim protection to Allahbadia, a two-judge bench of the apex court, led by Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh, however, refused to immediately pass his application to travel abroad.

“We will consider later his application to release his passport to travel abroad after the investigation into the controversial remarks made by him and others in the episode (India’s Got Latent is completed),” the bench said.

During the course of the hearing, the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the probe agency, told the top court on Tuesday that the case investigation will be completed in two weeks.

On February 18, the apex court, in a major relief to Allahabadia, had directed no coercive action against him for his alleged obscene remarks he allegedly made on a YouTube show ‘India’s Got Latent’, even as the court reprimanded him for his indecent remarks.

On March 3, the apex court had also extended the relief of interim protection to Allahabadia and asked him to resume his show but cautioning him that the show must be of with standards of ‘decency & morality’, and making it suitable for viewers of all ages.

The top court allowed his plea to resume his show, after considering the pleading of Allahabadia that the podcast was his primary source of income, supporting nearly 280 employees.

It, however, refused his another plea to travel abroad, with a rider that the permission can only be granted after he joins the probe in the case.

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During the course of the hearing, advocate, Dr Abhinav Chandrachud, appearing for Allahabadia, had said that this was for clubbing of FIRs. The petitioner (Allahabadia) has received many death threats. First in Maharashtra, then Assam, now Jaipur. There was a reward. The offense is old Section 153-A (Prompting hatred) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Justice Kant responded to the advocate and asked what were the parameters of obscenity/vulgarity.

“If this is not obscenity in this country, then what is? See the language you are using! You have got license to speak all kind of (language)? This type of condemnable behavior…it’s not a question of an individual’s morality. He is insulting parents also! There is something dirty in this person’s mind that has been spread through this program,” the bench of the top court observed.

Questioning the conduct of Allahabadia, the judge said, “somebody thinks that because I have become so and so popular, I can speak any kind of words and take entire society for granted…you tell us anyone in the world who would like such words!”

Slamming him for using derogatory words, the court questioned him, if one can seek cheap publicity by using abusive language.

“The words you have chosen, parents will be ashamed, sisters will be ashamed. Entire society will feel ashamed. The pervert mind. The perversion you and your henchmen have exhibited! We have judicial system, bound by rule of law. If there are threats, law will take course,” the court said.

YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia.

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Allahabadia had on February 14 has knocked the doors of the Supreme Court seeking a direction to club the multiple FIRs registered against him in various states for his video of his controversial and alleged comments on parents and sex on social media.

Chandrachud earlier pleaded that it was a petition under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution seeking a direction to club the First Information Report (FIRs) registered against Allahabadia in various states; including Maharashtra and Assam.

Allahabadia also sought anticipatory bail, fearing arrest by the Guwahati police, who have already issued summons to him.

-PTI