YouTubers Ranveer Allahbadia and Ashish Chanchalani appeared before the Maharashtra Cyber Police on Monday to record their statements in connection with an FIR on their remarks made in one of the now-deleted episodes of 'India's Got Latent', officials said.
Both Allahbadia and Chanchalani contacted the cyber cell officials. After they reached out, the Maharashtra Cyber Police issued summons to both Allahbadia and Chanchalani to appear on Monday, reported news agency ANI.
Ranveer Allahbadia found himself at the center of a huge controversy after he made an objectionable joke involving parents at the latest 'India's Got Latent' episode. Chanchalani was also among the panelists present on the show, alongside Samay Raina, Jaspreet Singh and Apoorva Mukhija.
Chanchlani had approached the Supreme Court, seeking the transfer of his FIR to Mumbai after a case was registered against him in Assam's Guwahati. On Friday, the Supreme Court clubbed Chanchlani's plea with Allahbadia and sent notice to both Maharashtra and Assam.
Last week, Allahbadia's lawyer informed the Maharashtra Cyber Police that his client was unable to appear to record his statements as he was receiving death threats. Allahbadia has skipped two summonses issued by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell so far.
While hearing the plea to club all FIRs filed against Allahbadia in Guwahati, Mumbai and Jaipur, the Supreme Court said that the podcaster could approach the police in Maharashtra and Assam in case of any threat to him or his family.
Coming down heavily on Allahbadia, the Supreme Court directed him to join the probe, calling his joke "condemnable and dirty." "Have you got the licence to speak these kinds of things," the top court said.
In a huge relief to Allahbadia, the top court also said that there won't be any additional FIRs issued against the podcaster based on the same set of complaints in connection with the ongoing row. However, the court barred Allahbadia from leaving India without permission.
