The Supreme Court of India is set to hear influencer and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia’s plea on February 18, seeking to club multiple FIRs filed against him over controversial remarks made on comedian Samay Raina’s online show, India’s Got Latent. The case, which has sparked widespread debate and legal scrutiny, will be heard by a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh.
The controversy erupted following Allahbadia’s remarks about parents and sex on Raina’s show, which many deemed obscene and offensive. The remarks quickly led to a public outcry, resulting in multiple FIRs being registered against Allahbadia in different states, including Maharashtra, Assam, and Rajasthan. Several other prominent YouTube personalities, including Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh, and Apoorva Makhija, have also been named in connection with the case.
The matter was brought to the Supreme Court’s attention on Friday when Abhinav Chandrachud, the son of former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, sought an urgent listing of the plea. Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna assured that the case would be assigned to a bench and taken up within two to three days, leading to the scheduled hearing on February 18.
Authorities have reported difficulty in reaching Allahbadia, with a joint statement by the Mumbai and Guwahati Police confirming that the influencer has not responded to investigative agencies’ summons. The Maharashtra Cyber Department, Guwahati Police, and Jaipur Police have each filed FIRs against Allahbadia, and the Maharashtra Cyber Cell has summoned him to appear before them on February 24. Meanwhile, Samay Raina has been directed to appear before the Cyber Cell on February 18.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has also taken note of the incident and summoned Allahbadia, Raina, and others involved in the show, including content creators Apoorva Makhija, Jaspreet Singh, and Ashish Chanchlani, as well as producers Tushar Poojari and Saurabh Bothra. The NCW, in a strongly worded statement, condemned the vulgar and offensive remarks made on India’s Got Latent and emphasized the need for accountability in digital content creation.
Despite the summons, many of those called to appear before the NCW failed to do so, citing various reasons. Allahbadia, in his response to the Commission, stated that he had been receiving death threats and requested a postponement of his hearing, which the NCW granted, rescheduling it for March 6. Jaspreet Singh, who is currently on tour in Paris, informed the Commission that he would return to India by March 10 and would cooperate with the inquiry, leading to his hearing being scheduled for March 11. Similarly, Raina, who is in the US for a pre-planned tour, assured the NCW of his availability upon his return, and his hearing was also scheduled for March 11.
Amid mounting pressure, Samay Raina issued a public apology, stating that he never intended to offend anyone. He acknowledged the backlash and took immediate action by removing all India’s Got Latent videos from his channel. In his statement, Raina expressed his regret, saying, “Everything that has been happening has been too much for me to handle. My only objective was to make people laugh and have a good time. I will fully cooperate with all agencies to ensure their inquiries are concluded fairly.”
The controversy has further escalated as formal complaints have been filed with the Mumbai Commissioner and the Maharashtra Women’s Commission, alleging that India’s Got Latent contained abusive language and obscene remarks about women, allegedly for the sake of gaining popularity and financial benefit. The growing legal and public scrutiny around the case highlights the increasing concerns over content moderation and responsible digital broadcasting in India’s rapidly expanding influencer economy.
The Supreme Court’s decision on Allahbadia’s plea for clubbing the multiple FIRs could have significant implications for digital content creators and their legal liabilities across multiple jurisdictions. With hearings scheduled for various parties in the coming weeks, the case is expected to remain under close watch by legal experts, digital platforms, and social media influencers alike.
