Supreme Court allows Ranveer Allahbadia to travel abroad after police conclude probe

The Supreme Court on Monday directed that the passport of YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, popularly known as BeerBiceps, be returned back to him to enable him to travel abroad in connection with his podcasts..Allahbadia's passport had earlier been surrendered amid the investigation of criminal cases registered against him and others for the controversial remarks made by them during an episode of India's Got Latent.The Supreme Court had also earlier granted him interim protection from arrest, subject to various conditions, while hearing his plea to club all criminal cases registered against him across the country. Among other directions, the Court told Allahbadia not to leave India without the Court's permission..A Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice NK Singh today directed the release of Allahbadia's passport since the police investigation against him was complete. Considering the stage of investigation, the Court decided to lift the travel restrictions on Allahbadia."We permit the petitioner to apply to Maharashtra Cyber Crime Bureau for release of his passport. On such application..., let passport be returned on such reasonable terms and conditions to be stated. Passport is ordered to be returned to enable him to travel abroad," the Bench ordered.If Allabadia is required to appear before the police again, he must comply with the same, the Court added..On April 1, Allahbadia's counsel advocate Abhinav Chandrachud had argued that the YouTuber's livelihood was getting affected due to the travel restrictions."His livelihood is interviewing personalities for which he has to travel continuously," Chandrachud said. Today, Chandrachud also urged the Court for permission to argue on why all first information reports (FIRs) against Allahbadia need to be clubbed."Assam FIR may be more comprehensive than Mumbai ....but it arises out of the same incident," he said.The Court initially remarked that the contents of the FIRs may not be same but eventually agreed to hear further arguments on this aspect later. .The controversial episode of India's Got Latent under scrutiny before the top court was shot on November 14, 2024, at Khar Habitat but aired later.Apart from Allahbadia, YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani has also approached the top court seeking to quash an FIR filed against him in Assam, arguing that a similar FIR was first registered in Mumbai. He has alternatively requested for the transfer of the FIR to Mumbai. The Gauhati High Court has already granted him anticipatory bail..In earlier hearings, the top court had condemned the statements made by Allahbadia and others accused, terming them perverted and dirty minded. A the time, the Bench questioned whether unrestricted vulgarity could be defended as artistic expression and remarked that the words used were deeply offensive to society, parents and women.Nevertheless, it had granted interim protection to Allahbadia but barred him from doing any show. This restriction was then partly lifted later, to permit him to resume his podcast, provided that decency is maintained in its content. The Court has also hinted that it may expand the scope of the case to examine whether some regulation should be put in place to prevent similar instances of obscene speech being broadcast.