New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday allowed Youtuber Ranveer Allahbadia, popularly known as The BeerBiceps Guy, to resume his podcast ‘The Ranveer Show’, “subject to morality and decency” so that viewers of any age can watch it.
The court had asked the influencer to stop airing the podcast after a row over his crass remarks on Samay Raina’s YouTube show ‘India’s Got Latent’. The remarks led to multiple FIRs against Allahbadia, Raina, comedian Apoorva Mukhija, YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani, among others.
In his plea seeking lifting of the February 18 restraining order, Allahbadia had said that he has 280 employees and that it was his livelihood. “As of now petitioners were restrained from airing any shows. Subject to the petitioner furnishing an undertaking that his podcast shows will maintain the desired standards of morality and decency so that viewers of any age group can watch, the petitioner is permitted to resume the Ranveer Show,” a bench of Justices Surya Kant and NK Singh ordered.
The SC has also asked Assam investigating officer to fix a date and time for the purpose of Allahabadia to join the probe. With regards to his prayer to allow him to travel abroad as a guest in foreign countries, the court said this prayer shall be considered after he joins the probe and is no longer required for the said purpose. It further said that interim protection granted to him from arrest shall continue, the ANI reported.
According to Bar and Bench, the top court also hinted that it may expand the scope of the present case to examine whether some regulation should be put in place to prevent broadcast of obscene speech that are not acceptable in terms of the society’s known moral standards, without impinging on the fundamental right of free speech and expression. “We have requested SG to deliberate upon and suggest such measures which shall not impinge the fundamental right of free speech and expression but also be effective enough to ensure that it is within bounds of Article 19(4) of the Constitution. Any draft regulatory measures shall be brought in the public domain to invite suggestions from all stakeholders before taking any legislative or judicial measure in this regard. We are inclined to expand the scope of this proceeding,” the court said.
Allahbadia had approached the top court seeking to quash an FIR filed against him. While granting him interim protection from arrest based on multiple FIRs filed by the Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Assam Police, the SC had barred him from airing any show.
During the last hearing, the top court, however, came down heavily on Allahbadia, saying that freedom of speech has its limitations and using foul language is not humour. It further stated that his language was degrading and reflective of a “perverted mind”.
