Over the ongoing controversy over Ranveer Allahbadia, Guwahati High Court granted interim bail on Tuesday to YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani concerning a case for reportedly promoting obscenity in a publicly accessible online show.
Along with the key accused podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia who made a controversial remark on the YouTube show ‘India’s Got Latent’, Chanchlani is also one of the persons named in the case in Assam.
While hearing an anticipatory bail plea, a single-judge bench of Justice Mridul Kumar Kalita granted interim relief to Chanchlani, directing him to appear before the investigating officer within 10 days.
Chanchlani’s lawyers, Diganta Das and Joyraj Borah, argued that their client did not make any remarks during the show and that the FIR’s allegations were solely against the co-accused.
The FIR was lodged by Guwahati Police on February 10 following a complaint from an individual. It invoked multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Information Technology Act, Cinematograph Act, and Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.
The petitioner’s counsels highlighted that earlier in the day, the Supreme Court granted interim protection from arrest to the prime accused, podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia, over his remarks on the show. However, the public prosecutor opposed interim relief, arguing that the accused ignored a police notice despite receiving it.
Multiple FIRs Registered Against Allahbadia
Following both sides’ hearings, Justice Kalita granted him interim bail and stated, “The petitioner shall appear before the investigating police officer within 10 days from the date of this order and shall cooperate with the investigation.”
The high court also directed that Chanchlani must not, either directly or indirectly, threaten, influence, or persuade the informant or any other individuals linked to the case to withhold information from the investigating officer or the court.
The next hearing has been scheduled for March 7, with the court instructing the submission of the case diary. Along with Allahbadia and Chanchlani, comedians Samay Raina, Jaspreet Singh, and Apoorva Makhija have also been named in the case in Assam.
Multiple FIRs were registered against Allahbadia, widely known as BeerBiceps, over his remarks on parents and sex during the YouTube show India’s Got Latent. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court granted Allahbadia interim protection from arrest but criticised the show, calling it “vulgar” and stating that his “dirty mind” had brought shame to society.
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