The Supreme Court has provided a measure of relief to YouTube personality Ranveer Allahbadia, who has been embroiled in controversy following remarks about parents and sex during an episode of the stand-up show India’s Got Latent. The court ruled that no further police cases could be filed against him concerning this matter.

Mr. Allahbadia claimed to have received death threats against his family and himself and was advised that he could seek protection from the Maharashtra and/or Assam police in the event of any threats to his life. Additionally, the court assured him that he would not be arrested by either the Maharashtra or Assam police, provided he cooperated with the ongoing investigation and the new complaint filed in Jaipur.

However, Mr. Allahbadia was instructed to deposit his passport with the police in Thane, Maharashtra, and was warned not to leave the country without court approval. Furthermore, he and his associates were barred from participating in any further stand-up comedy or ‘roast’ shows until further notice.

The court has also called for the central government’s response regarding guidelines for “obscene” content on social media.

Court Hearing and Reactions

On Tuesday morning, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh convened to discuss Mr. Allahbadia’s plea to consolidate FIRs and to seek anticipatory bail to avoid possible arrest by Guwahati Police, which had recently dispatched a team to his Mumbai apartment to question him.

During the hearing, Mr. Allahbadia’s lawyer, Abhinav Chandrachud, the son of former Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, found himself scrutinized for his defense of Mr. Allahbadia’s comments. Mr. Chandrachud expressed personal disgust, stating, “I cannot defend on moral grounds,” yet acknowledged that the issue of whether the comments constituted a criminal offense remained open for debate.

Justice Kant, however, seemed notably unaccepting of Mr. Chandrachud’s arguments, declaring, “If this is not obscenity in this country, then what is!?” The hearing escalated into a stern reprimand of Mr. Allahbadia, with Justice Kant criticizing the negative impact of his comments, stating, “What embarrassment he has caused to his parents?” He emphasized the moral responsibilities that come with popularity and stated, “The words you have chosen… parents will be ashamed, and sisters will be ashamed. The entire society will feel ashamed.”

Despite the court’s fierce criticism, it did recognize Mr. Allahbadia’s concerns regarding death threats, affirming its commitment to ensuring his safety and expressing that threats against him would not be tolerated.

Ranveer Allahbadia faces multiple police cases in addition to a summons from the National Commission of Women, after he skipped a scheduled appearance, citing death threats and a reported bounty on his head. Other individuals associated with the show, including host Samay Raima and participant Apoorva Makhija, have also reported receiving threats.

Following an unsuccessful visit from Mumbai and Guwahati police seeking to record his statement, Allahbadia revealed he felt “scared” by the apparent threats while asserting he would not back down. “I am watching death threats pour in from people saying they want to kill me… hurt my family,” he announced.

Apology from Ranveer Allahbadia

In the wake of the controversy, Allahbadia issued an apology, attributing his comments to a lapse in judgment. “My comment wasn’t just inappropriate… it was not even funny. Comedy is not my forte; I am just here to say sorry,” he said in a video message. He acknowledged that he had misused his platform, stating, “I am not going to give any context or justification or reasoning behind whatever happened. I am just here for an apology.”

Reiterating his previous statements, he added, “My remark about parents was insensitive and disrespectful and I am genuinely sorry.