‘India’s Got Latent’ remarks row: SC allows return of passport to Ranveer Allahbadia
The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the return of passport to podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia – facing criminal probes in several states over his controversial comment on parents and sex on comedian Samay Raina’s YouTube show ‘India’s Got Latent’ — to enable him to travel abroad for work.
“We permit the petitioner to apply to Maharashtra Cyber Crime Bureau for release of his passport. On such application…, let passport be returned on such reasonable terms and conditions to be stated. Passport is ordered to be returned to enable him to travel abroad,” a Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh said.
However, if he is required to appear before the police again, he must comply with the same, it said.
The top court relaxed the bail condition regarding surrender of passport after the Assam and Maharashtra governments said the investigation against him was complete.
The Bench told senior advocate Abhinav Chandrachud, representing Allahbadia, that it would consider his prayer for clubbing the FIRs against the podcaster on the next hearing.
The Bench – which had on the last date of hearing taken serious objection to Raina’s remarks against persons with disabilities – allowed senior counsel Aparajita Singh, representing M/s Cure SMA Foundation, to serve a notice to the private respondents through the Mumbai Police Commissioner after she said their addresses could not be traced.
On April 1, the top court had refused to order the return of Allahbadia’s passport, saying it would be considered after the investigations were complete.
“If we allow you (Allahbadia) to travel (abroad), the investigation may also get deferred,” the Bench had said.
The Bench had on March 3, allowed the podcaster to resume his ‘The Ranveer Show’ on YouTube after he undertook not to use profane words and maintain “morality and decency”.
Ranveer’s remarks on parents and sex on comedian Samay Raina’s YouTube show ‘India’s Got Latent’ triggered a controversy, leading to several FIRs being lodged against him in Maharashtra, Assam and Rajasthan.
In the eye of the storm over his controversial comment about parents and sex, the podcaster got a major relief on February 18 from the Supreme Court which protected him from arrest in multiple FIRs lodged against him.
The Bench had, however, pulled him up for his irresponsible comments. Terming his comment as a “height of lack of responsibility” and a “condemnable behaviour,” the Bench had said, “Just because somebody thinks ‘I am popular, I can speak anything and take society for granted’.”
Noting that there was a legislative vacuum on the issue, the Bench had said it would like to do something, if the Centre didn’t do anything. It had issued notice to the Centre and sought the assistance of Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Mehta.
India