New Delhi, 18 February: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted protection from arrest to podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia, who is facing multiple FIRs over his controversial comments about parents and sex on comedian Samay Raina’s YouTube show India’s Got Latent.
A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh restrained authorities from lodging further FIRs against him in the matter but criticized his remarks. “Just because somebody thinks, ‘I am popular, I can speak anything and take society for granted’… you tell us, who in the world would like such words?” Justice Kant said. The Bench further remarked, “There is something dirty in his mind which has been vomited on the YouTube show.”
Allahbadia, who claimed he and his family were receiving death threats, was advised to approach the police in Maharashtra or Assam for protection. The court also barred him and his associate influencers from airing further episodes of the show until further orders.
His lawyer, Abhinav Chandrachud, sought relief from coercive action, arguing that the podcaster was being targeted. The court granted interim relief but ordered Allahbadia to deposit his passport at Thane police station and barred him from leaving the country without permission.
The controversy erupted after Allahbadia’s remarks sparked backlash, leading to FIRs and condemnation from political leaders, including Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who called the language used on the show obscene and vulgar.
Allahbadia, who received the Disruptor of the Year award from Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the National Creators Award last year, has publicly apologized, admitting his comments were inappropriate.
