SC allows return of passport to Allahbadia
The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the return of passport to podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia to enable him to travel abroad for work. Allahbadia is 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’.
“We permit the petitioner to apply to the 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, the court added that if he was required to appear before the police again, he must comply with the same. The top court relaxed the bail condition regarding the 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 said he would not use profane words and maintain “morality and decency”.
In the eye of the storm over his controversial comment, the podcaster got a major relief on February 18 from the Supreme Court that protected him from arrest in multiple FIRs lodged against him. The Bench had, however, pulled him up for his irresponsible comments. It had termed his comment “height of lack of responsibility” and “condemnable behaviour”.
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