BharatTimes
Supreme Court Grants Interim Protection to YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia Amid Obscenity FIRs
18 Feb 2025, 02:09 PM
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim protection from arrest to popular YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia, known as Beer Biceps, in relation to multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against him over allegations of obscenity. The FIRs, registered in Mumbai, Guwahati, and Jaipur, stem from controversial remarks made by Allahabadia during an episode of “India’s Got Latent,” a YouTube show hosted by comedian Samay Raina.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh issued an interim order staying Allahabadia’s arrest while serving notice to the Union of India, the State of Maharashtra, and the State of Assam. The court also directed that no further FIRs should be registered against him based on the same episode of the show.
Court’s Stern Rebuke
Despite granting relief, the court strongly criticized Allahabadia for his remarks. “The words which you have used, parents will feel shamed. Sisters and daughters will feel ashamed. The entire society will feel shamed. It shows a perverted mind,” Justice Kant remarked during the proceedings.
The judge further condemned the nature of Allahabadia’s statements, stating, “There is something very dirty in his mind, which has been vomited by him in the program. He is insulting parents also. Why should the Courts favor him?”
The bench questioned Allahabadia’s counsel, Senior Advocate Dr. Abhinav Chandrachud, on whether the language used by the YouTuber could be defended under the pretext of free speech. While Chandrachud admitted that he personally found the language “disgusting,” he argued that it did not necessarily constitute a criminal offense under obscenity laws. He cited the Supreme Court judgment in the Apoorva Arora case, which held that profanity alone does not amount to obscenity. However, Justice Kant expressed skepticism, stating, “If this is not obscenity, then what is obscenity?”
Conditions of Interim Protection
The Supreme Court laid down stringent conditions for Allahabadia’s interim protection, requiring him to:
- Join the investigation whenever summoned by the Investigating Officers.
- Fully cooperate with the investigation without being accompanied by legal counsel inside the police stations.
- Deposit his passport with the Investigating Officer at Thane Police Station.
- Refrain from leaving the country without permission from the Supreme Court.
- Abstain from airing any other shows until further orders.
Additionally, the court allowed Allahabadia to approach local police in Maharashtra and Assam if he faced any threats to his life and liberty.
Multiple FIRs and Legal Arguments
Chandrachud argued that multiple FIRs on the same matter violated the Supreme Court’s ruling in TT Antony v. State of Kerala, which prohibits the registration of multiple FIRs for the same offense. However, Justice Kant countered that the nature of the FIRs was different, stating, “The dirty language, humiliating FIR used against the persons of Arunachal Pradesh is the subject of the other FIR.”
The bench also noted that Allahabadia’s statements had triggered significant public outrage, and his remarks were deemed deeply offensive. “What embarrassment he has caused to [his] parents!” Justice Kant remarked when Chandrachud mentioned that Allahabadia’s mother, a doctor, had also received threats from individuals posing as patients.
Public Backlash and Deleted Episodes
The controversy erupted after a 10-second clip from the 45-minute episode of India’s Got Latent was leaked on social media. The episode featured prominent YouTubers such as Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh, and Apoorva Makhija alongside Allahabadia and host Samay Raina. Following the backlash, Raina issued a public apology and removed all episodes of the show from his YouTube channel. Allahabadia also apologized, acknowledging that his comments were inappropriate.
On February 10, Guwahati Police registered an FIR against five YouTubers for “promoting obscenity and engaging in sexually explicit and vulgar discussions.” The Maharashtra Cyber Department and Jaipur Police followed suit, filing similar cases.
Comparisons to Past Cases
Chandrachud drew parallels between Allahabadia’s situation and that of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, arguing that the court had granted her relief despite her statements being “much worse.” Justice Kant, however, dismissed this comparison, emphasizing that every case must be evaluated on its own merits.
“If you can try to attain cheap publicity by saying these kinds of things, there might be others who might want to get cheap publicity by making threats,” the judge added, referring to the alleged death threats against Allahabadia.
Legal Proceedings and Next Steps
Allahabadia’s petition was initially mentioned before Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on February 14. While Chandrachud had raised concerns about possible coercive action by Assam Police, the CJI had indicated that the case was already scheduled for hearing. With Tuesday’s interim order, Allahabadia has secured temporary relief but remains subject to further legal scrutiny.
Meanwhile, fellow YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani has approached the Gauhati High Court seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the FIR filed against him by Guwahati Police.
Conclusion
This case underscores the growing tensions between free speech in digital media and the legal limits of public decency. With Allahabadia’s remarks sparking widespread debate, the Supreme Court’s final verdict will set an important precedent for how obscenity laws are applied in the digital age.
