‘India’s Got Latent’ Controversy: Supreme Court Condemns Ranveer Allahbadia’s “Obscene” Remarks, Blocks Further Police Cases, Grants Temporary Protection from Arrest

In a relief to YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, alias Beer Biceps, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that no further police cases could be filed against him in connection with the controversy over his contentious comments on the stand-up show India’s Got Latent. However, the court sharply criticised Allahbadia for his inappropriate remarks, describing his behavior as "vulgar" and condemning the "dirty" thoughts he “vomited” during the show.

The court remarked that Allahbadia could seek protection from Maharashtra or Assam police if he faced any threats to his life or liberty. The court emphasised that no arrest would be made as long as Allahbadia cooperated with ongoing investigations. However, he was instructed to deposit his passport with the police in Maharashtra’s Thane and warned against leaving the country without the court's approval. The court also imposed a temporary ban on him and his associates participating in any further comedy or "roast" shows until further notice.

The case stemmed from Allahbadia's appearance on India’s Got Latent, where his controversial comments about parents and sex sparked outrage. In Tuesday’s hearing, Allahbadia’s lawyer, Abhinav Chandrachud, expressed personal disgust over his client’s statements, admitting he could not defend the remarks on moral grounds. "I cannot defend on moral grounds," Chandrachud stated. However, he also questioned whether the comments could be considered a criminal offense.

The Supreme Court did not agree with this view, with Justice Surya Kant condemning Allahbadia’s words as obscene. "If this is not obscenity in this country, then what is!?" Justice Kant remarked angrily. He added that Allahbadia's comments caused embarrassment to his parents and society at large. "The words you have chosen... parents will be ashamed, and sisters will be ashamed. The entire society will feel ashamed. The perversion you and your henchmen have exhibited!" Justice Kant said.

While the court condemned Allahbadia's remarks, it acknowledged the issue of the threats he had received. The justices reassured that if there were any genuine threats, the law would provide protection. "We are not supporting this (the threats)," the court said. It finally decided to temporarily shield Allahbadia from arrest and prevent any additional police cases from being filed against him.

Allahbadia now faces multiple police investigations and is scheduled to appear before the National Commission of Women on March 6. Two others associated with the show, Samay Raina and Apoorva Makhija, also received threats, and they, along with Ashish Chanchalani, another social media influencer, are involved in the case.

In response to the threats, Allahbadia admitted feeling scared, revealing that people were threatening to harm him and his family. He even claimed that his mother's medical clinic had been "invaded" during the incident. Despite the threats, he vowed not to back down, saying, “I am watching death threats pour in from people saying they want to kill me… hurt my family.”

The controversy prompted Allahbadia to issue a public apology, admitting his lapse in judgment. "My comment wasn't just inappropriate… it was not even funny. Comedy is not my forte, I am just here to say sorry," he said in a video message. He further acknowledged misusing his platform and expressed regret over the insensitive nature of his comments. "It wasn’t cool on my part," he added.

The controversy erupted after clips from India’s Got Latent, featuring Allahabadia alongside host Samay Raina and fellow YouTubers Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh, and Apoorva Makhija, went viral. Following public outrage, Raina deleted all episodes of the show and issued an apology. Allahabadia also publicly apologized, admitting his remarks were inappropriate.

On February 10, Guwahati Police registered an FIR against five YouTubers for allegedly promoting obscenity and engaging in explicit discussions. Similar cases were later filed by Maharashtra Cyber and Jaipur Police. Meanwhile, YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani has approached the Gauhati High Court seeking anticipatory bail.

Notably, in 2024, Allahabadia received the Disruptor of the Year award at the National Creators Award, presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.​