New Delhi: The Supreme Court today (February 18) granted YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia protection from arrest in cases registered against him in three cities over comments made by him on a comedy show – but not before making severe remarks on the nature of his jokes.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh passed the interim order while issuing notice to the respondents on the writ petition filed by Allahbadia against the multiple first information reports against him, LiveLaw reported.
The apex court also barred more FIRs from being registered on the same show, India’s Got Latent.
The interim protection will apply only if Allahbadia joins the investigation. The bench also allowed to him approach police for protection against threats.
Allahbadia, who has a podcast show under his moniker ‘Beer Biceps’, has been on the receiving end of threats, outrage and FIRs since he made a controversial comment on the YouTube show.
He asked a contestant, “Would you rather watch your parents have sex every day or join them to finish it once and for all?”. Other comments made by Allahbadia and others on the show including Samay Raina, Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh and Apoorva Mukhija, have also been shared in the form of clips – drawing further criticism.
The backlash has led to many noting that this is hardly the first time that vulgarity has made it to Indian television. Many observed that Allahbadia was drawing criticism from the same people who had praised his interviews with government ministers and leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
The Supreme Court appeared not to be a fan of him today.
“Are you defending the kind of language?” Justice Kant asked advocate Abhinav Chandrachud, who was representing Allahbadia.
Chandrachud, who is the son of the former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, said that while he was “disgusted” by the comments, they could not be considered a criminal offence.
“If this is not obscenity, then what is obscenity? Is the judgment [in the Apoorva Arora case that Chandrachud cited] a licence to say whatever you want?”, Justice Kant asked.
Justice Kant made a number of comments on the joke.
“There is something very dirty in his mind, which has been vomited by him in the programme…He is insulting parents also. Why should the courts favour him?” Justice Kant asked.
The judge also appeared to rebuke Chandrachud who said that BJP leader Nupur Sharma had been given relief for a “much worse” statement – on the Prophet Muhammad.
“If you can try to attain cheap publicity by saying these kind of things, there might be others also who might want to get cheap publicity by making threats,” Justice Kant said.
“The words which you have used, parents will feel shamed. Sisters and daughters will feel ashamed. Entire society will feel shamed. It shows a perverted mind,” Justice Kant also said, according to LiveLaw.
Justice Kant also expressed disapproval of Chandrachud going to the police station. When Chandrachud said even Allahbadia’s mother was receiving death threats, Kant was enraged.
“What embarrassment he has caused to parents! We know from where he has copied the question. There are certain societies where they warn those who are not supposed to watch the program…they maintain precautions…” he said.
