File picture of comedian Samay Raina.
The Maharashtra Cyber Department and the Mumbai Police have summoned comedian Samay Raina to appear before them within the next five days in connection with controversial remarks made by social media influencer Ranveer Allahbadia on Mr. Raina’s YouTube show, “India’s Got Latent”, sources said. Mr. Raina, currently in the U.S., has requested additional time to comply with the summons.
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Both the Maharashtra Cyber Department and the Mumbai Police are conducting separate investigations into Mr. Allahbadia’s remarks on the show. While the Mumbai Police have asked Mr. Raina to record his statement by February 17, the cyber cell has summoned him to appear on February 18. In a related development, a team from the Assam Police, which is in Mumbai investigating a case registered against Mr. Allahbadia and others, met with Maharashtra Cyber Department officials on Thursday (February 13, 2025). Earlier, the Assam team visited the Khar police station on Wednesday (February 12, 2025) and held discussions with senior police personnel.
All about India’s obscenity laws
A huge controversy has erupted over the popular YouTube show India’s Got Latent, after theMaharashtra cyber police booked podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia, comedian Samay Raina, andothers for allegedly broadcasting obscene content. This is the second FIR against the duo,following a case registered by the Assam police on February 10.But what do India’s obscenity laws entail? How have courts interpreted them over the years?And where does one draw the line between obscenity and the right to freedom of speech andexpression? We break it all down for you in this video.
| Video Credit:
The Hindu
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the Guwahati Police had filed a case against Mr. Allahbadia and others on Monday (February 10, 2025). Meanwhile, Mumbai Police have recorded statements from seven individuals, including social media influencer Apoorva Makhija, in connection with Mr. Allahbadia’s comments on the show.
Published – February 13, 2025 06:55 pm IST