SC refuses to release Ranveer Allahbadia's passport until Latent probe ends

The Supreme Court extended interim relief to Ranveer Allahbadia, protecting him from arrest amid ongoing Latent probe, but refused to release his passport until investigation concludes

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to release Ranveer Allahbadia's passport until the Latent probe is concluded.

 

A Bench of Justices Suryakant and N Kotishwar Singh made the remark while hearing a petition filed by the YouTuber regarding several FIRs lodged against him for his inappropriate comments on the now-deleted episode of Samay Raina's YouTube show India's Got Latent.

 

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the apex court that the investigation in the case would be concluded within two weeks.  

 

"They are saying they will take two weeks to complete. You come after two weeks," the top court said, as quoted by Bar and Bench.

 

The court also extended its interim relief, ensuring the podcaster remains protected from arrest in FIRs lodged against him in Guwahati, Mumbai, and Jaipur.  

  

Meanwhile, Allahbadia assured the court that he would uphold decency in his shows.  

 

The controversy  

 

A controversy erupted after Allahbadia made a crude joke while interacting with a contestant on India’s Got Latent, referencing parental intimacy.  

 

In response to the backlash, the episode was removed from YouTube, and Allahbadia issued an apology, stating his comments were “not just inappropriate, it wasn’t even funny.” He further admitted, “Comedy is not my forte. I’m just here to say sorry.”  

 

An FIR was registered on February 10 by Guwahati Police against multiple influencers, including Allahbadia. The charges were filed under the Indian Penal Code, the Information Technology Act, and the Cinematograph Act for allegedly promoting obscenity and the indecent portrayal of women.  

 

On March 7, Allahbadia appeared before the Guwahati Police Commissionerate's Crime Branch as part of the ongoing probe into the show.  

 

Initially, Allahbadia was prohibited from creating or posting content online. The top court condemned his remarks as "vulgar" and criticised his "dirty mind" for bringing disgrace to society. 

 

However, on March 3, the court permitted Allahbadia to resume his podcast, The Ranveer Show, on the condition that it adheres to "morality and decency" and is suitable for all age groups. The court also said that Allahbadia cannot discuss the case in his content.  

 

Allahbadia makes a comeback on social media

 

After a month-long hiatus following the controversy, Allahbadia made his return to social media on Sunday.

 

In a new video titled "Let's Talk," shared on his official YouTube channel, Allahbadia announced that his podcast, "The Ranveer Show," would be making a comeback. He also committed to creating content with greater responsibility moving forward.

 

"There was a forced break, which gave me time to embrace stillness. I got to know that so many Indians consider me a family member... To all of them, sorry. In the next 10, 20, 30 years, as long as I create content, I will do it with more responsibility," Allahbadia said.