The Supreme Court on Friday (February 21) issued notice on YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani’s plea to club multiple FIRs filed against him for obscenity. The case concerns remarks made during an episode of the YouTube show India’s Got Latent.
Petitioner Seeks Clubbing and Transfer of FIRs
Chanchlani’s request to the Supreme Court
Chanchlani requested the Supreme Court to merge the FIRs registered in Guwahati and Mumbai and transfer them to Mumbai. A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh issued notices to the respondents and tagged the case with a similar petition filed by co-accused Ranveer Allahabadia.
Anticipatory Bail and High Court Ruling
Initially, Chanchlani approached the Gauhati High Court for anticipatory bail in connection with the Assam FIR. He argued that co-panelist Allahabadia made the controversial remarks and that he had no involvement in editing or post-production. Earlier this week, the High Court granted him interim anticipatory bail and directed him to appear before the Investigating Officer within 10 days.
Episode Sparked Controversy
The controversial remarks appeared in an episode of comedian Samay Raina’s YouTube show India’s Got Latent. The episode featured YouTube celebrities Ranveer Allahabadia, Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh, and Apoorva Makhija. Viral video clips from the episode triggered massive outrage, leading to widespread criticism of Allahabadia and Raina. In response, Raina issued a public apology and deleted all episodes of India’s Got Latent. Allahabadia also apologized, acknowledging that his comments were inappropriate.
Legal Action and Multiple FIRs
On February 10, Assam police registered an FIR against five YouTubers and content creators for “promoting obscenity and engaging in sexually explicit and vulgar discussions.” The FIR invoked multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), IT Act, Cinematograph Act, and Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act. Alok Boruah, the complainant, accused Chanchlani, Singh, Makhija, Allahabadia, Raina, and others of promoting obscene content.
Following this, Maharashtra Cyber Department and Jaipur Police also registered cases related to the controversy.
Supreme Court Grants Interim Protection to Allahabadia
On the same day Chanchlani secured relief from the Gauhati High Court, the Supreme Court granted interim protection from arrest to Allahabadia. The Court issued notices to the Union of India, Maharashtra, and Assam, seeking their response. The bench also questioned the Union about the lack of regulation for online content. While granting protection, Justice Surya Kant criticized Allahabadia’s language, calling it “dirty” and “perverted.”
The case continues as the Supreme Court examines the legal implications of online content and freedom of expression.
