The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the release of YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia’s passport, which had been deposited as part of the conditions for interim protection from arrest in obscenity cases related to his appearance on the controversial “India’s Got Latent” show.
A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh passed the order after being informed that investigations in the FIRs lodged in Assam and Maharashtra had concluded. The Court allowed Allahabadia to apply to the Maharashtra Cyber Crime Bureau for the retrieval of his passport.
Appearing for Allahabadia, Senior Advocate Dr. Abhinav Chandrachud also requested the Court to consolidate the FIRs registered in Assam and Maharashtra, contending that both arise from the same show. However, Justice Surya Kant declined to merge the cases at this stage, observing, “The Guwahati FIR contains certain specific allegations which are not present in the Mumbai FIR. Why should a person perceived to be a victim in Assam be asked to come to Maharashtra?”
Dr. Chandrachud referred to the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Amish Devgan case, where multiple FIRs pertaining to identical remarks were consolidated. The bench indicated that it would consider this request during the next hearing.
Background of the Controversy
Ranveer Allahabadia, popularly known as “Beer Biceps,” found himself at the centre of a nationwide controversy alongside fellow YouTubers Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh, and Apoorva Makhija following the broadcast of explicit content in an episode of comedian Samay Raina’s YouTube show “India’s Got Latent.” Viral video clips from the episode, containing sexually explicit jokes involving parents, sparked widespread outrage on social media.
Following public backlash, Samay Raina issued a public apology and deleted the series from his channel. Allahabadia also apologised publicly, acknowledging that his comments were inappropriate.
The controversy led to multiple criminal complaints across different states. On February 10, the Guwahati Police registered an FIR against five content creators for “promoting obscenity and engaging in sexually explicit and vulgar discussions.” Additional cases were reportedly filed by Maharashtra Cyber Department and Jaipur Police.
In response, Allahabadia and Chanchlani approached the Supreme Court seeking the quashing or consolidation of FIRs filed across various states. While Allahabadia received interim protection from arrest — subject to strict conditions, including the surrender of his passport and restrictions on content creation — Chanchlani secured relief from the Gauhati High Court.
During earlier hearings, Justice Surya Kant had reprimanded Allahabadia for the inappropriate language used during the show, describing it as “dirty” and “perverted.” The Court subsequently allowed Allahabadia to resume hosting “The Ranveer Show” after he undertook to uphold standards of decency and morality to ensure that his content remains suitable for audiences of all age groups.
Latest Proceedings
Earlier this month, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Supreme Court that investigations into the FIRs against Allahabadia were nearing completion. The Court had then indicated that Allahabadia’s plea for the release of his passport would be considered once investigations concluded.
During Monday’s proceedings, Dr. Chandrachud also raised concerns regarding a press conference allegedly held by Maharashtra police officials, where comments about Allahabadia’s guilt and an impending chargesheet were made. Additionally, the Cure SMA Foundation sought intervention in the matter, raising objections over remarks made by other participants on the show against persons with disabilities.
The issue of clubbing the FIRs remains pending and is expected to be addressed during the next hearing.
