India's Got Latent row: SC allows Ranveer Allahbadia to resume podcast
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday allowed popular YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia to resume airing his podcast, provided he adheres to “standards of decency and morality.”
Allahbadia, along with fellow YouTubers Ashish Chanchlani and Apoorva Mukhija, has been at the center of controversy over allegedly vulgar and crass remarks made during an episode of Samay Raina’s show 'India’s Got Latent'.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh modified an earlier restriction that barred Allahbadia and his associates from broadcasting any content on YouTube or other audio-visual platforms until further notice.
During the hearing, the bench urged Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to consider regulating online media content. The court clarified that while it does not advocate censorship, digital platforms cannot operate as a “free for all.” It further instructed that Allahbadia’s shows must refrain from commenting on ongoing legal proceedings.
On February 18, the Supreme Court granted Allahbadia interim protection from arrest on the condition that he cooperated with the investigation whenever summoned by authorities. The court also ruled that no further FIRs would be filed against him concerning the 'India’s Got Latent' episode, as multiple FIRs had already been registered.
Amid the controversy, comedian Samay Raina removed all videos of the show from YouTube, stating that his sole intent was to entertain. Several complaints have been lodged against Raina, Allahbadia, Chanchlani, and Mukhija for making allegedly obscene and offensive remarks about parents in the show.
As the legal battle continues, the case has reignited discussions on the boundaries of comedy and the responsibilities of digital content creators.
With IANS inputs
