New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to the Assam and Maharashtra governments following a plea by Youtuber Ashish Chanchlani praying for quashing of an FIR lodged against him in Guwahati, or transferring it to Mumbai where he is based.
The FIR was registered against him in Assam for allegedly being involved in promoting obscenity on the YouTube show India’s Got Latent.
Podcaster and influencer Ranveer Allahabadia is the prime accused in the case after he made obscene remarks in an episode of Samay Raina’s India’s Got Latent.
Chanchlani was a panelist on that show, but his lawyers submitted before the court that he did not make any comment.
On Tuesday, the Gauhati High Court had granted Chanchlani anticipatory bail, but directed him to appear before the investigating officer within 10 days. Dissatisfied with this order, the Youtuber moved the top court seeking relief.
According to his lawyers, an FIR was initially lodged in Mumbai.
On February 10, an individual lodged an FIR against him and a few other stand-up comedians in Guwahati.
They prayed that this FIR be quashed or clubbed with the original one registered in Mumbai.
The Supreme Court bench of Justices Surya Kant and S Kotiswar Singh ordered notices to be issued to the two states seeking their response.