"No one has a licence to speak whatever...": SC comes down heavily on Allahbadia

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday severely castigated YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia for remarks it described as "showing a perverted mind" while hearing a plea for clubbing of FIRs against him.

Several FIRs have been filed against Allahbadia, popularly known as BeerBiceps, for his comments on parents and sex on comedian Samay Raina's YouTube show "India's Got Latent".

Refusing to club FIRs lodged in Mumbai and Guwahati, the Supreme Court bench also sought responses from the Centre, Maharashtra, and Assam governments on Allahbadia's plea seeking clubbing and quashing of multiple FIRs against him.

In his first high-profile case, Abhinav Chandrachud, senior lawyer and son of former CJI DY Chandrachud, represented Allahbadia before the bench comprising Justice Surya Kant, who was on the bench along with Justice N Kotiswar Singh.

When Chandrachud referred to Allahbadia's right to life and said he cannot be prosecuted at several places for the same act, Justice Kant said, "What are the values of society? What are these parameters, do you even know? Society has some self-evolved values. You need to respect them…In the name of freedom of speech, no one has a licence to speak whatever they want against the norms of the society."

However, the bench agreed to the submissions of Chandrachud that Allahbadia be protected from arrest, keeping in mind the filing of multiple FIRs on the same issue as well as the death threats against him.

A furious court at the outset berated Allahbadia for his "unacceptable comments" on the show and said, "The words you have used will make daughters, sisters, parents and even the society feel ashamed. It shows a perverted mind. If this is not obscenity, what is it? Why should we quash or club the FIRs against you?" asked Justice Kant.

"Are you defending the kind of language he has used?" Justice Surya Kant asked Chandrachud, who conceded that he himself was "disgusted".

The senior lawyer, however, said the question was whether the remarks constituted a criminal offence, as profanity per se would not amount to obscenity.

"Please see my interim application. 'Ranveer Allahbadia ki zubaan kaatkar laane wale ko milega 5 lakhs ka inaam' is the threat," Chandrachud argued.

"If you can try to attain cheap publicity by saying these kinds of things, there might be others also who might want to get cheap publicity by making threats," the bench quipped.

Justice Kant went on to say, "There is something dirty in this person's mind that has been spread through this program. Why should the courts favour him?"

The bench directed that no further FIRs shall be lodged against him for his comments during the YouTube show, "India's Got Latent".

The top court also restrained Allahbadia and his associate influencers on the controversial YouTube show from airing any other episode until further orders. It directed Allahbadia to deposit his passport at the Thane police station and said he shall not leave the country without the prior permission of the court.

The bench directed Allahbadia to cooperate in the probe of the FIRs lodged in Maharashtra and Assam.

Addressing the elephant in the room, the Supreme Court asked the Union Government if it was going to do something about obscene content on YouTube and other social media.

"We would like to do something. If the Government of India is willing to do it, we'll be very happy," the SC further stated.

Previously, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology asked the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to provide a note regarding the amendments required in all the laws related to media due to the emergence of new forms of technology and media platforms by February 17.