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'I'm disgusted, but…': What Abhinav Chandrachud, lawyer representing Ranveer Allahbadia, told Supreme Court
SC granted Ranveer Allahbadia aka ‘BeerBiceps’ protection from arrest but also severely criticised his India's Got Latent comments as perverted, unacceptable.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted bail to content creator Ranveer Allahbadia but not without rapping him over the controversial remarks he made on YouTube show ‘India’s Got Latent', which have snowballed into a massive row.
The Supreme Court granted Ranveer Allahbadia aka ‘BeerBiceps’ protection from arrest but also severely criticised his India's Got Latent comments as "perverted" and "unacceptable."
Several FIRs have been filed against Allahbadia after his comments about parents and sex during comedian Samay Raina’s YouTube show India's Got Latent.
Also Read | ‘Perverted mind, parents will be ashamed’: SC on Ranveer Allahbadia row - Top quotes
The Supreme Court teared into Ranveer Allahbadia for his remarks, with Justice Surya Kant saying, "There is something dirty in his mind which has been vomited on the YouTube show." The bench, which also included Justice N Kotiswar Singh, emphasised that his words would make daughters, sisters, parents, and society feel “ashamed”, describing them as a clear example of "perverted" thinking.
What did lawyer representing Allahbadia say?
Despite the criticism, the top court bench agreed to grant Ranveer Allahbadia protection from arrest, following the submission by senior advocate Abhinav Chandrachud, who argued that the YouTuber should not be arrested as multiple FIRs had been filed over the same issue.
Abhinav Chandrachud also highlighted the death threats Ranveer Allahbadia had received.
Justice Surya Kant asked Chandrachud, "Are you defending the kind of language he has used?" The senior lawyer admitted to being "disgusted" by the remarks but argued that profanity alone does not necessarily constitute criminal conduct.
"As an officer of the court, I personally am disgusted by what the petitioner has said but whether it rises to the level of a criminal offence is another question," BarandBench quoted Abhinav Chandrachud as saying.
Also Read: 5 facts about Abhinav Chandrachud, lawyer representing Ranveer Allahbadia in Supreme Court
The Supreme Court bench then asked Abhinav Chandrachud to clarify what would constitute obscenity. In response, Chandrachud stated that the mere use of profanity would not be sufficient to define obscenity.
"If something excites, in the words of the court, lustful thoughts or sexual thoughts in the mind of a reasonable person, that would be obscenity," Abhinav Chandrachud explaining, referencing the Supreme Court's ruling in actor 'Apoorva Arora's case'.
In Apoorva Arora case, the Supreme Court had in 2024 quashed an FIR against the creators of the popular web series "College Romance," setting a precedent for artistic expression and freedom of speech in the digital age.
SC's conditions for Allahbadia
The Supreme Court also noted that if such comments were made for cheap publicity, others might follow suit by making similar comments or threats for attention.
The top court directed that no further FIRs be filed against Ranveer Allahbadia over his statements on the show India's Got Latent. The court also ordered that he, along with his associates, refrain from airing any future episodes of the show until further orders.
As part of the conditions, Ranveer Allahbadia was directed to deposit his passport at the Thane police station and was prohibited from leaving the country without prior permission from the court. He was also instructed to cooperate with investigations into the FIRs filed in Maharashtra and Assam.
While granting protection against arrest in FIRs registered in Mumbai and Guwahati, the bench sought responses from the Centre, as well as Maharashtra and Assam governments, regarding Ranveer Allahbadia’s request to club and quash the multiple FIRs filed against him.
In a related development, an Assam police team was sent to Pune to summon Raina in connection with the case filed in Assam. The case, which involved the promotion of obscenity in the YouTube show, led to FIRs being lodged in multiple states.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Cyber Department registered a case under the IT Act and requested the removal of all 18 episodes of the controversial show. Allahbadia is also facing complaints in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
