SC permits Ranveer Allahbadia to resume 'The Ranveer Show' subject to 'morality' standards

New Delhi [India], March 3 : The Supreme Court on Monday permitted YouTuber and Podcaster Ranveer Allahabadia to resume his podcast 'The Ranveer Show', subject to maintaining standards of decency and morality.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh allowed Allahabadia to resume the show after taking into note that livelihood of around 280 employees depends on the telecast of his show.
"As of now, petitioner was 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'," the bench added in its order.
Earlier, it had also directed Allahabadia and his associates to be "off from show business from sometime".
The apex court further asked the Centre to propose measures to regulate content for YouTube channels and social media.
The bench took into note the submission of the Attorney General R Venkatramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that with regard to prevent telecast or airing of programmes which are not acceptable in terms of known moral standards of our society, some regulatory measures may be required.
It asked the Solicitor General, appearing for Centre, to deliberate upon and suggest some measures which shall not impinge the fundamental right of free speech and expression but also effective enough to ensure that it is within bounds of Section 19.
Any draft regulatory measure in this regard can then be put in the public domain to invite suggestions from stakeholders before taking any legislative or judicial measure in this regard, it further said.
The bench also extended its interim order of granting protection to the podcaster from arrest in the FIRs registered against him in Guwahati, Mumbai and Jaipur.
The bench was hearing his petition seeking clubbing of FIRs registered against him across the country for controversial remarks made by him and others who were part of an episode of India's Got Latent.
During the hearing, the top court observed that everyone has the right to watch what they want but just because you have commerical interests it cannot be you can say something.
The Solicitor General said free expression should be protected, but vulgarity and perversity should not reach our children.
With regard to Allahabadia's prayer to allow him to travel abroad as guest in foreign countries, the bench said this prayer shall be considered after he joins probe and is no longer required for the said purpose.
Earlier, the top court came down heavily on Allahabadia for his inappropriate comments during his guest appearance on the show India's Got Latent and described it as "dirty and perverted."
The bench had also directed no further FIR shall be registered against him on the basis of episode aired on show India's Got Latent. It had also asked him to deposit his passport with police and he can't leave country without permission of the court.
The top court had also asked the Centre if it wanted to do something about obscene content on YouTube and other social media and sought the Attorney General and Solicitor General's assistance in the matter.
It said we should not overlook the importance and sensitivity of the issue.
On February 11, the Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, said the Guwahati Police have registered an FIR against YouTubers and social influencers Allahabadia, Samay Raina, Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh, Apoorva Makhija, and others for promoting obscenity and engaging in sexually explicit and vulgar discussions on India's Got Latent.
Notably, FIRs have been registered against these influencers in Mumbai and Guwahati.