GUWAHATI: The Supreme Court on Monday, March 3, allowed YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, popularly known as BeerBiceps, to resume hosting his podcast, The Ranveer Show, under the condition that its content adheres to general standards of morality and decency.
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A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and NK Singh issued the order after Allahbadia approached the court seeking relief from restrictions imposed due to multiple criminal cases filed against him. The controversy arose from remarks made during an episode of India’s Got Latent, which led to several FIRs being registered against Allahbadia across the country.
Earlier, the court had granted Allahbadia interim protection from arrest, but with the condition that he refrains from appearing on any show. His counsel argued that this restriction was affecting not only his livelihood but also that of his 280 employees. Taking note of this concern, the court permitted him to resume his podcast, provided that it remains free of vulgarity.
The court also indicated that it may expand the scope of the case to examine whether regulatory measures are needed to prevent the broadcast of obscene content while ensuring that such measures do not infringe upon the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(4) of the Constitution. Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta has been asked to propose guidelines that strike a balance between free speech and social norms.
Mehta, representing the governments of Maharashtra, Assam, and Rajasthan, argued that the remarks in question were not just vulgar, but perverse. The court agreed that there is a need for some regulation, with Justice Kant remarking that humor and obscenity do not need to go hand in hand.