Gauhati HC grants interim protection to Ashish Chanchlani in IGL obscenity case

Guwahati, Feb 18: The Gauhati High Court on Tuesday granted interim protection to YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani in connection with the controversial episode of the India’s Got Latent show.

Justice Mridul Kumar Kalita, while hearing Chanchlani’s anticipatory bail application, noted that there were no specific allegations in the FIR and that the applicant had expressed readiness to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.

After hearing submissions from both parties, Justice Kalita, in light of a Supreme Court order issued on Tuesday concerning YouTuber Ranveer Allahabadia, deemed it appropriate to grant interim protection to Chanchlani.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court also granted interim relief to Allahabadia in multiple FIRs registered in Mumbai, Guwahati, and Jaipur on Tuesday, ordering him to join the investigation into the obscene jokes case.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh, during the hearing, however condemned Allahabadia’s behaviour, describing the language he used in the episode of the show as “dirty” and “perverted.”

The case had sparked widespread discussion following the filing of two FIRs in Mumbai and Guwahati.

Earlier on February 12, the Guwahati Police had registered an FIR against Chanchlani on a complaint by one Alok Boruah, invoking Sections – 79, 95, 294 and 296 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, alongside Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Chanchlani, one of India’s popular digital influencers, found himself at the centre of controversy after making a controversial remark on comedian Samay Raina’s show.

Earlier, on February 10, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced via a social media post that the Guwahati Police had registered an FIR against five prominent content creators, including Allahabadia and Chanchlani, for allegedly promoting obscenity on the show.