NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a plea filed by popular YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia on Tuesday.
The plea is in connection with multiple FIRs registered against Allahbadia over his alleged remarks on parents and sex during comedian Samay Raina's YouTube show India's Got Latent.
According to the causelist of the top court uploaded on its website, a two-judge bench, led by Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh, is expected to take up the matter on Tuesday.
The apex court had earlier, in its March 3 order, extended the relief of interim protection to Allahbadia and asked him to resume his show, but cautioned him that the show must meet the standards of "decency & morality" and be suitable for viewers of all ages.
The top court allowed his plea to resume his show after considering Allahbadia's argument that the podcast was his primary source of income, supporting nearly 280 employees.
It, however, refused his other plea to travel abroad, with a rider that permission could only be granted after he joined the probe in the case.
On February 18, the apex court, in a major relief to Allahbadia, had directed that no coercive action be taken against him for the alleged obscene remarks he made on the YouTube show, even as the court reprimanded him for his indecent remarks.
He was in the dock for his alleged obscene remarks - controversial comments on parents and sex on social media - made during his YouTube show India's Got Latent.
During the course of the hearing, advocate Dr Abhinav Chandrachud, appearing for Allahbadia, had said that this was for the clubbing of FIRs.
The petitioner (Allahbadia) has received many death threats—first in Maharashtra, then in Assam, and now in Jaipur. There was a reward. The offence falls under the old Section 153-A (promoting hatred) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
To this, Justice Kant slammed him and asked, what were the parameters of obscenity and vulgarity?
"If this is not obscenity in this country, then what is!? See the language you are using! You have got a license to speak all kinds of (language)? This type of condemnable behaviour... it's not a question of an individual's morality. He is insulting parents also! There is something dirty in this person's mind that has been spread through this program," the bench of the top court observed.
Questioning the conduct of Allahbadia, the judge went on to observe that "somebody thinks that because I have become so and so popular, I can speak any kind of words and take entire society for granted… You tell us anyone in the world who would like such words!"
Slamming him for uttering such derogatory words, the court questioned him, "You can seek cheap publicity by using abusive language?"
"The words you have chosen - parents will be ashamed, sisters will be ashamed. The entire society will feel ashamed. The pervert mind. The perversion you and your henchmen have exhibited! We have a judicial system, bound by the rule of law. If there are threats, law will take its course," the court lambasted him for his comments.
Opining that this court was not supporting this kind of language, the SC said what embarrassment he has caused to parents.
Allahbadia had, on February 14, knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court seeking a direction to club the multiple FIRs registered against him in various states for his video containing controversial and alleged comments on parents and sex on social media.
Chandrachud earlier pleaded that it was a petition under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution, seeking a direction to club the First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against Allahbadia in various states, including Maharashtra and Assam.
Allahbadia also sought anticipatory bail, fearing arrest by the Guwahati police, who have already issued summons to him.
