YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, who is commonly referred to as “BeerBiceps,” has approached the Supreme Court seeking relief from various FIRs lodged in various states. The cases arise out of offensive comments he made on a now-deleted YouTube reality show, India’s Got Latent, hosted by comedian Samay Raina.
Mr. Allahbadia, who is represented by his lawyer Abhinav Chandrachud, son of former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, has asked the court to club the FIRs lodged in different states. He has also sought anticipatory bail in case of arrest by the Guwahati police, who have already sent him and others associated with the show summons.
The petition came before Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, who refused to consider an urgent hearing, noting that a date was already fixed for the case. Justice Khanna directed Mr. Allahbadia’s lawyer to go to the court registry to seek further information.
The Controversial Remarks
The storm was created when Mr. Allahbadia commented on a show called India’s Got Latent, a comedy and influencer reality show where comedians and influencers judge and compete against each other. “Would you like to watch your parents make love every day of your life or join in once and put a stop to it forever?” he posed.
Many considered the comment to be offensive, and it received widespread backlash as well as several legal grievances. One Guwahati resident filed a complaint, which caused the Assam police to file a case under obscenity and public morality sections. The FIR includes Mr. Allahbadia, Mr. Raina, and other contestants, including Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh, and Apoorva Makhija.
Legal Developments and Political Repercussions
The FIRs against Mr. Allahbadia and others were registered in Guwahati, Assam, on charges of obscenity and offensive comments. The Assam police have dispatched a team to Mumbai to issue summons to Mr. Allahbadia, Mr. Raina, and others. Mr. Raina, who is based in Pune, has been asked to appear before the Assam police within four days. But he is in the US at present for his performances and has sought more time to abide by the summons.
The row has even extended to Parliament, where Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske raised objections and demanded more control over social media content. To this, a parliamentary panel on communications and information technology has asked the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to present a detailed report by February 17.
