New Delhi, April 21 The investigation in respect of the FIR registered in Assam against popular YouTubers Samay Raina, Ranveer Allahbadia, Ashish Chanchlani, Apoorva Mukhija, and others over allegedly obscene and offensive remarks about parents in the comedy show "India's Got Latent" is likely to get completed by the end of April, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court on Monday.
"In Assam, a co-accused is coming tomorrow (Tuesday) for getting her statement recorded.
Advocate Abhinav Chandrachud, appearing for Allahbadia, submitted that on the last occasion, the application for release of the passport was not pressed in view of the statement made by the law officer that the investigation would get over in two more weeks.
"It is a matter of livelihood for him. He (Allahbadia) has to travel abroad from time to time," the counsel said, adding that as per the media reports, the probe is over in relation to the FIR registered in Maharashtra, and soon, a charge sheet is going to be filed against the accused persons.
"As far as the petitioner is concerned, Maharashtra Police had called him on three occasions, and Assam had called him on one occasion. He had appeared on every occasion," the counsel added.
After hearing the submissions, the Justice Surya Kant-led Bench said that it would take up the matter for hearing after a week.
"Meanwhile, in Assam, you complete the investigation. As far as the petitioner is concerned, qua him, you complete whatever you want so that the issue of the release of his passport is completed. You also let us know the other co-accused who are not appearing,” the apex court told SG Mehta, who appeared on behalf of the states of Maharashtra and Assam.
Posting the matter for hearing on April 28, the bench asked the law officer to obtain instructions as to whether the presence of Allahabadia is required for further investigation.
Allahbadia and several other YouTubers, including Chanchlani and Mukhija, have been embroiled in the controversy for vulgar and crass comments made during an episode of Raina's "India's Got Latent" show.
In an earlier hearing, the Supreme Court had permitted Allahbadia to resume airing his podcast on the condition that he would maintain the “standards of decency and morality”. It had favoured relaxing an earlier condition which had prohibited Allahbadia or his associates from airing any show on YouTube or any other audio/visual mode of communication till further orders. The apex court clarified that Allahbadia’s shows should not comment upon the proceedings which are sub-judice.
Earlier, on February 18, the top court had stayed Allahbadia’s arrest subject to the condition that he would join the investigation, as and when summoned by the Investigating Officers.
"The interim protection against arrest is granted further subject to the condition that the petitioner will extend full cooperation to the ongoing investigation," it had ordered.
The Supreme Court had added that no further FIR would be registered against Allahbadia on the basis of the episode aired of "India's Got Latent", for which two to three FIRs have already been registered. Several complaints seeking legal action have been filed against Allahabadia and others over allegedly obscene and offensive remarks about parents in the comedy show.
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