GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court has granted interim anticipatory bail to YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani in connection with an FIR lodged by Guwahati Police over alleged obscene and controversial remarks made during an episode of India’s Got Latent on Tuesday, February 18. The court directed Chanchlani to appear before the Investigating Officer within ten days and fixed March 7 for the final hearing while also calling for the case diary.
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The development coincided with the Supreme Court granting interim protection from arrest to fellow YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, popularly known as Beer Biceps, in connection with FIRs filed in Mumbai, Guwahati, and Jaipur. These cases relate to allegations of obscenity over his comments in the same show. Despite the relief granted, Justice Surya Kant strongly criticised Allahbadia’s language during the episode, describing it as "dirty" and "perverted".
The FIR filed by Assam Police on February 10 invokes multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 79 (word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), Section 95 (hiring, employing, or engaging a child to commit an offence), Section 294 (sale, etc., of obscene books, etc.), and Section 296 (obscene acts and songs). Additionally, Section 67 of the IT Act, 2000, related to publishing or transmitting obscene material electronically, has been cited along with provisions of the Cinematograph Act, 1952, and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.
The complaint alleges that Chanchlani, along with Jaspreet Singh, Apoorva Mukhija, Ranveer Allahbadia, Samay Raina, and others, engaged in sexually explicit and vulgar discussions during the show.
Before the High Court, Senior Counsel Diganta Das, appearing for Chanchlani alongside Advocate Joyraj Borah, contended that the YouTuber was innocent and did not make any such remarks as alleged. They argued that the controversial statements were made by one of the guest panellists, Ranveer Allahbadia, and that Chanchlani had no role in the editing or post-production of the episode.
