The Gauhati High Court today granted interim Anticipatory Bail Protection to YouTuber Ashish Chanchalani in connection with the FIR lodged against him by the Guwahati Police over the alleged obscene and controversial comments made in an episode of India’s Got Latent.
However, a bench of Justice Mridul Kumar Kalita directed Chanchlani to appear before the Investigating Officer within 10 days. Fixing the matter for the 7th March for a final hearing, the single judge has also called for the case diary in the matter.
This development comes on the same day when the Supreme Court granted interim protection from arrest to YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia (popularly known as Beer Biceps) in the FIRs registered at Mumbai, Guwahati and Jaipur for the offence of obscenity over his remarks during an episode of the “India’s Got Latent” show.
Though the Court granted Allahbadia interim relief, during the hearing, Justice Surya Kant severely berated Allahabadia for the language he used and described it as “dirty” and “perverted”.
More details here : ‘Dirty Mind, Perverted’ : Supreme Court Berates YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia, Stays His Arrest In FIRs For Obscenity
The readers may noted that the FIR registered by Assam Police on February 12 has invoked Sections – 79 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 95 (Hiring, employing or engaging a child to commit an offence), 294 (Sale, etc., of obscene books, etc.) & 296 (Obscene acts and songs) BNS read with Section 67 of IT Act, 2000 (punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material electronically), read with Section 4/7 of Cinematograph Act 1952 read with Section 4/6 of Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.
The FIR, lodged on a complaint by one Alok Boruah, alleges that Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh, Apoorva Mukhija, Ranveer Allahbadia, Samay Raina and others promoted obscenity and engaged in sexually explicit and vulgar discussion in the show.
Before the High Court, Diganta Das, Senior Counsel, appearing for Chanchlani along with Advocate Joyraj Borah, argued that Chanchlani is innocent as he did not make any such comment as alleged in the FIR.
It is Chanchalani’s case that the remarks for which the FIR in question has been lodged were made by one of the guest panellists (Ranveer Allahbadia) and that Chanchlani had no role, authority or involvement in editing or post-production of the episode.
It is also the submission of Chanchlani’s Counsels that he did not endorse, support, or contribute to any such remark made by one of the panellists in any manner.
