The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the governments of Assam and Maharashtra on a petition filed by YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani seeking transfer of an obscenity case registered against him in Guwahati to Mumbai.
The FIR was lodged in connection with allegations of promoting obscenity on the show, India’s Got Latent, involving podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia as the key accused.
The Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotishwar Singh pointed out that Chanchlani has already been granted anticipatory bail by the Gauhati High Court in the matter.
The Counsel appearing for the petitioner contended that the petition sought clubbing of multiple FIRs registered against him.
The Bench sought response from the two States and tagged the matter with a similar petition filed by Allahbadia.
The matter pertained to an episode shot on November 14, 2024 at Khar Habitat for Ranveer’s podcast. The episode courted controversy for the alleged use of abusive language by the show’s panel, including Chanchlani, Ranveeer Allahbadia, comedian Samay Raina and others.
An FIR was registered against Chanchlani at the Cyber Police Station in Guwahati Crime Branch of Assam, following a complaint filed by an individual on February 10.
He was booked for offences under Sections 79 (words, gestures insulting modesty of woman), 95 (hiring/employing child to commit offence), 294 (sale of obscene objects to child) and 296 (obscene acts and songs) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with offences under the Information Technology Act, 2000; Cinematograph Act, 1952; and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.
The Gauhati High Court had earlier granted anticipatory bail to Chanchlani in the matter.
The petitioner sought before the Supreme Court, quashing of the Assam FIR on the grounds that it was registered after another FIR was lodged in Mumbai on the same issue.
Chanchlani further sought transfer of the FIR to Mumbai, where the first FIR was lodged.
The Apex Court had earlier granted interim relief from arrest to Allahabadia, while barring him and other co-accused in the case from airing any shows till further orders.