Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 21 : Maharashtra Cyber Cell has sent summons to actor Rakhi Sawant, who appeared in a couple of episodes of 'India's Got Latent' to record her statement on February 27.
Along with her, YouTubers Ranveer Allahbadia and Ashish Chanchlani, who were a part of the controversial episode of the show that triggered a row, have also been asked to record their statements.
Yashasvi Yadav, IG, Maharashtra Cyber Cell, toldthat a summons has been sent to Rakhi and she has been asked to appear before the officials on February 27 to record her statement.
On February 24, Ashish Chanchlani and Ranveer Allahbadia were summoned to record their statements. Samay Raina has asked for time till March 17, which Maharashtra Cyber refused to give, according to Yashasvi Yadav, IG, Maharashtra Cyber.
On February 20, the Maharashtra Cyber Department confirmed that a second summons will be issued to YouTuber Samay Raina in connection with remarks made on 'India's Got Latent' .
Raina had failed to appear for a scheduled statement recording session on February 18. The Maharashtra Cyber Department issued a statement confirming that the summons will be sent to Raina in order to ensure his presence for the recording of his statement.
In a previous appeal, Raina requested the Maharashtra Cyber Cell to allow him to record his statement via videoconferencing, citing that he is currently in the United States and won't be able to return to India before March 17 due to prior commitments.
However, the department rejected his request, insisting that his statement must be recorded in person.
'India's Got Latent' became embroiled in controversy following a guest appearance by podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia.
Allahbadia made an inappropriate comment to a contestant, asking, "Would you rather watch your parents... or join in once and stop it forever?"
The comments sparked widespread outrage, leading to a formal complaint being filed against Allahbadia, Raina, comedian Apoorva Makhija, and the organizers of the show.
In response, Raina posted a message on his Instagram Story, expressing his regret and asserting that his only aim was to entertain.
"Everything that has been happening has been too much for me to handle. I have removed all India's Got Latent videos from my channel. My only objective was to make people laugh and have a good time. I will fully cooperate with all agencies to ensure their inquiries are concluded fairly," he wrote.
Following the backlash, multiple FIRs were filed against the involved parties across various states, including Maharashtra and Assam.
The controversy intensified after Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, confirmed that the Guwahati Police had registered an FIR against several individuals, including Allahbadia and Raina, for promoting obscenity and engaging in inappropriate content.
On February 18, the Supreme Court weighed in on the matter, strongly condemning Allahbadia's remarks. Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh described the comments as "dirty and perverted," adding that such behaviour must be unequivocally condemned.
They emphasized that the words used by Allahbadia were deeply shameful, particularly in relation to families and society. The Court also issued a strong warning, stating that Allahbadia should not take society for granted simply because of his popularity.
In the wake of multiple FIRs, Allahbadia approached the Supreme Court, seeking to club the charges against him. His plea for an urgent hearing was acknowledged by the bench, which also granted him interim protection from arrest, provided he cooperates with ongoing investigations.
However, the Court also issued stringent conditions, including requiring his passport to be surrendered and prohibiting him from leaving the country without permission.
Additionally, the Supreme Court raised concerns about the prevalence of inappropriate content on platforms like YouTube and urged the government to take action.
Justice Kant said, "We would like you (government) to do something. Otherwise, we are not going to leave this vacuum and barren area the way it is being misused."
The Maharashtra Women's Commission has lauded the Supreme Court's intervention, particularly for ordering the stoppage of the controversial shows.
Chairperson Rupali Chakankar expressed approval of the Court's decision, calling the reprimand appropriate and necessary.
The Commission had earlier sent a letter to the Mumbai Commissioner requesting an inquiry into the incident.
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