The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted relief to YouTuber-podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia aka BeerBiceps from arrest over his crass remarks at comedian Samay Raina's show India's Got Latent. The top court heard the YouTuber-podcaster's plea challenging FIRs filed against him due to the comments made on India's Got Latent.
The matter was taken up by the apex court after a request by Allahbadia's lawyer Abhinav Chandrachud for urgent consideration. Even though it granted relief to Allahbadia, the top court bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh expressed grave disapproval of the remarks made by the YouTuber.
The top court furthermore noted that popularity cannot be a license to take the society for granted. "Such behaviour has to be condemned. Just because you are popular you cannot take this society for granted. Is there anyone on earth who will like this language. There is something very dirty in his mind which was vomited out. Why should we protect him?," Justice Surya Kant was quoted by Bar and Bench.
The bench also took note of the fact that Allahbadia's comments were copied from an Australian show, while adding such shows have warnings.
The relief granted by the Supreme Court in Allahbadia's case is a conditional one. The top court asked the YouTuber-podcaster to join the probe into the matter as and when summoned.
"Interim protection from arrest is granted on the premise that full cooperation has to be given without any lawyer inside police station." The relief is also subject to the condition that BeerBiceps and his associates to not do any other show for the time being.
The court also mentioned that there were only 2 FIRs against Allahbadia -- one in Mumbai and the other in Assam.
"Liberty is a separate issue. It is not that every case is targeted you and your are entangled. Suppose 100 FIRs are there he can say he cannot defend himself," the court said.
Responding to this, Allahbadia's lawyer said that a third FIR was registered on Sunday. The court said that the allegations in the third FIR are different than the first 2 FIRs.
Allahbadia has been in the middle of a raging controversy following his remarks on India's Got Latent. During the show, the YouTuber-podcaster asked a contestant: "Would you rather watch your parents have sex every day for the rest of your life or join in once and stop it forever?"
Samay Raina, Ashish Chanchlani, Apoorva Mukhija aka The Rebel Kid, and comedian Jaspreet Singh were also present in the panel when Allahbadia made the crass comments. On the same panel, Apoorva Mukhija also made objectionable remarks about women's private parts.