A JOKE GOES TOO FAR

"Anything we say as social media influencers can be used against us." This cautionary warning from YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia in his 2020 video 'Dear Angered Indians' now feels eerily prophetic.

- By Suhani Singh and Kaushik Deka

The popular, 31-year-old podcaster, who goes by the moniker BeerBiceps, finds himself at the centre of a storm after making a controversial remark on comedian Samay Raina's show India's Got Latent, one that has ignited a national debate on obscenity. What began as an offhand joke is now the test-case for digital regulation and the limits of free speech.

The backlash was swift. Multiple FIRS were lodged against Allahbadia and others on the show in Maharashtra, Assam and Rajasthan. Seeking relief, he approached the Supreme Court, which, on February 18, rebuked him sharply. A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh called his remarks "disgusting", "filthy", and reflective of a "perverted mind". Though granting Allahbadia protection from arrest and any new FIR, they imposed stringent conditions on him:

• He must surrender his passport at the Thane police station and cannot leave the country without prior court approval

• He must fully cooperate with the police investigation

• .He is barred from airing any new content on YouTube or any other platform until further orders.