A row erupted after Ranveer Allahbadia asked a contestant an outrageous question: “Watch your parents have sex every day for the rest of your life, or would you join in once and stop it forever?" The video, widely shared on social media, has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation.
The Maharashtra cyber department filed the suo motu FIR under IT Act. The cyber department has sought removal of all 18 episodes of the show.
The sections under which the YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia and others have been booked are:
Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 Act for insulting a woman's modesty through words, gestures, sounds, or objects. It also involves intruding on a woman's privacy.
Section 196 of the BNS of 2023 which criminalises speech or actions that promote hatred or enmity between groups. The section aims to maintain social harmony and prevent acts that can disrupt peace.
Section 296 of the BNS of 2023 which deals with obscene acts and songs in public places. It aims to maintain public decency and prevent disturbances in public spaces.
Section 3(5) of the BNS of 2023 establishes joint criminal liability when multiple people work together to commit a crime. This means that each person is responsible for the crime as if they had committed it alone.
Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 criminalises the publication or transmission of obscene material in electronic form.
Meanwhile, Apoorva Mukhija aka The Rebel Kid, another influencer who has drawn fire for her crass remarks on the India's Got Latent roast show, visited Khar police station with her lawyer after the cops summoned her to record a statement. On Tuesday, the Mumbai Police recorded the statement of Ashish Chanchalani, who was also seen in the episode.
A police team from Assam, where a case has been filed against these YouTubers, also reached Mumbai on Wednesday as part of the probe into Allahbadia's crass remarks.
A case has been filed against YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, popularly known as Beer Biceps, and comedian Samay Raina among others for creating ‘obscene’ content and broadcasting it on Raina’s India’s Got Latent show by the Maharashtra cyber police.
Indian Express reported that this is the second FIR filed against them after the Assam police filed a case on Monday. A parliamentary panel is also considering summoning Allahbadia to address the issue.
Allahbadia appeared on India’s Got Latent, a satirical parody of India’s Got Talent, and made a crass ‘joke’ during the show where he asked a contestant if they would rather watch their parents have sex every day for the rest of their life or join in once and stop it forever.
The cyber police filed the case under Section 67 (Transmission of obscene material in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act, among other sections. “On Monday evening, we registered a case against 30 individuals, including artists, hosts, judges, and participants of all six episodes of India’s Got Latent, and we will be issuing summons to all, asking them to join the police probe,” a senior police officer from Maharashtra state Cyber police told the publication.
The move comes after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on social media on Monday that the YouTuber and others were booked in a case in his state.
Allahbadia has since apologised in a video posted to his Instagram account.
