'Maintain decency': Supreme Court allows podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia to resume airing 'The Ranveer Show'

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday permitted Ranveer Allahbadia to resume his podcast 'The Ranveer Show', subject to an undertaking to maintain decency in his content.

The YouTuber had filed an application in the SC seeking lifting of one part of the order which refrained him from airing his shows. Allahbadia said that he has 280 employees and that it was his livelihood.

"Fundamental rights are not on platter, there are certain restrictions," the SC observed. "As of now petitioners were restrained from airing any shows. Subject to the petitioner furnishing an undertaking that his podcast shows will maintain the desired standards of morality and decency so that viewers of any age group can watch, the petitioner is permitted to resume the Ranveer Show," the court ordered.


Youtube show 'India's Got Latent' by Samay Raina sparked controversy following podcaster Allahbadia's guest appearance. Allahbadia's question to a contestant—"Would you rather watch your parents... or join in once and stop it forever?"—triggered widespread outrage, leading to a formal complaint against Allahbadia, host Raina, comedian Apoorva Mukhija, among others.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for Centre, said that he saw the show out of curiosity, and it was not vulgar, but perverse. "I saw the show out of curiosity, and it is not vulgar, but it is perverse. Humour is one thing, vulgarity is one thing, and perversity is another level," Mehta told the Supreme Court.

"Let him remain silent for sometime," SG Mehta added.

The SC noted that some regulatory may be required to prevent the telecast or airing of programmes that are not acceptable in terms of our society's known moral standards. The SC asked the Centre to deliberate upon and suggest some measures which shall not impinge the fundamental right of free speech and expression but also effective enough to ensure that it is within bounds of 19(4).

"Any draft regulatory measure in this regard can then be put in public domain to invite suggestions from stakeholders before taking any legislative or judicial measure in this regard," said the top court.
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