Supreme Court rejects Ranveer Allahbadia’s plea seeking release of his passport

The Supreme Court has denied YouTubers Ranveer Allahbadia and Ashish Chanchalani's pleas for the release of their passports amid the ongoing investigations related to a controversial episode of the show 'India's Got Latent'.

The bench, comprising Justices Suryakant and N Kotishwar Singh, emphasised that the decision on the passports will only be considered after the completion of the probe into comments made by Allahbadia, which prompted significant backlash and legal action. 

The court noted that Allahbadia might need to participate in further investigations, which precludes the release of his travel documents.

The controversy erupted last month when Allahbadia's remarks made during the show's latest episode, which have since been deleted, went viral. The comment, interpreted as distasteful, particularly regarding parents, led to legal cases being filed against Allahbadia and Chanchalani in Mumbai and Guwahati. 

Previously, the Supreme Court had granted interim protection to Allahbadia but criticised his choice of language on the show, explicitly stating, "There is something very dirty in his mind, which has been vomited by him on the program." Initially, Allahbadia was prohibited from airing any content, but this restriction was later lifted under conditions that he maintained "morality and decency."

Despite the lifted ban, Allahbadia remains barred from leaving India without explicit permission from the court. During recent proceedings, the bench observed that Allahbadia had complied with previous summons to appear before the National Commission for Women (NCW), where his statement was recorded, and he also joined an investigation at a Guwahati police station. 

The court highlighted that Allahbadia had provided an undertaking ensuring that his future shows would adhere to standards of decency.

The Maharashtra government has assured the Supreme Court that the investigation into the matter will be completed within two weeks. This assurance comes as the court scheduled the next hearing for April 21.