Supreme Court Calls For Online Content Regulation Amid Ranveer Allahabadia Controversy
Supreme Court Calls For Online Content Regulation Amid Ranveer Allahabadia Controversy
The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up YouTube personality Ranveer Allahabadia, criticizing him for promoting "perversion" and emphasizing the need for regulation and decency in online content. While granting him temporary protection from arrest in multiple cases filed across the country for allegedly promoting obscenity, the court issued a notice to the Union government, highlighting the "vacuum" in regulating digital platforms.
A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh was hearing Allahabadia’s plea to club FIRs and seek anticipatory bail in a case registered by Guwahati police. The court stressed the importance of addressing the issue and sought the assistance of Attorney General R. Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in the next hearing.
Expressing strong disapproval of Allahabadia’s content, the bench remarked, "There is something dirty in his mind that is spread by this programme," questioning why the court should entertain such cases. The judges took particular issue with his remarks on parents and sex, calling them deeply shameful and offensive to society.
The controversy arose from an episode of "India’s Got Latent," a live-streamed show on YouTube, where Allahabadia’s statements sparked widespread outrage. The court warned that popularity does not grant individuals the right to say anything without accountability.
As part of the conditions for his interim relief, Allahabadia was ordered to submit his passport to police in Maharashtra’s Thane and was prohibited from leaving the country without court approval.
On his claim of receiving death threats, the court directed him and his family to seek protection from Maharashtra or Assam police.
The controversy has led to legal action, with Guwahati police filing an FIR on February 10 against five YouTubers and content creators for "promoting obscenity and engaging in sexually explicit and vulgar discussions." Similar complaints have also been lodged by the Maharashtra Cyber Department and Jaipur police.
