YouTuber and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia, who was questioned along with content creator Ashish Chanchlani for nearly five hours by Maharashtra Cyber officials on Monday over controversial remarks made on Samay Raina’s show, ‘India’s Got Latent,’ said he attended the show because Raina was his friend.
The 31-year-old YouTuber claimed that he did not receive any payment for his appearance and explained that YouTubers often collaborate and feature on each other’s shows, according to sources cited in an NDTV report.
Ranveer Allahbadia appeared at the cyber headquarters in Navi Mumbai after previously skipping summons issued by the agency. During his statement before the investigating officer, he admitted his mistake.
Allahbadia’s first appearance after the controversy
Ranveer Allahbadia, along with Ashish Chanchlani, made their first public appearance at the Maharashtra Cyber headquarters on Monday since the ‘India’s Got Latent’ controversy erupted earlier this month. They arrived around 11.30 am, and their statements were recorded, an official confirmed without providing further details.
Allahbadia, wearing a black face mask to avoid media attention, was seen leaving the headquarters around 5 pm, boarding a private cab, while Chanchlani departed an hour later in his car.
As part of the investigation, Maharashtra Cyber has summoned more than 50 individuals associated with the show, including guests, judges, social media influencers, and comedians.
The case involves allegations of obscenity against Allahbadia, also known as BeerBiceps. On February 18, the Supreme Court granted him interim protection from arrest, describing his remarks as “vulgar” and stating he had a “dirty mind” that shamed society.
The court directed Allahbadia to cooperate with the investigation, submit his passport to Thane police, and seek permission before leaving the country. The next hearing is scheduled for March 3.
Several FIRs filed
Multiple FIRs have been filed against Ranveer Allahbadia, including one registered in Guwahati on February 17 by a local resident, alleging the promotion of obscenity in a publicly accessible online show. The case also names Samay Raina, Ashish Chanchlani, comedians Jaspreet Singh, Apoorva Makhija, and Rakhi Sawant, who appeared as a guest on the show.
Police stated that Rakhi Sawant was summoned to appear before Maharashtra Cyber on February 27. Additionally, the National Commission for Women (NCW) had summoned Allahbadia, Raina, and others to appear on February 17.
However, several individuals failed to attend in person due to safety concerns and logistical issues. Allahbadia requested a three-week postponement citing death threats, and his hearing has now been rescheduled to March 6.