YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia Summoned for Questioning Over Controversial Remarks

Mumbai: YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia has been summoned by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell to appear for questioning on February 24 in connection with his controversial remarks on the popular show ‘India’s Got Latent’, which sparked widespread outrage across the country.

The Cyber Cell is investigating Allahbadia, alongside India’s Got Latent host Samay Raina, following a remark made by Allahbadia during the show. The comment—encouraging viewers to "watch your parents have sex"—provoked a significant public uproar and led to multiple FIRs being filed against him in various states.

The Cyber Cell also instructed Samay Raina to appear in person by February 18. However, Raina, who is currently overseas in the United States, requested to provide his statement virtually through video conferencing. His request was denied by the agency, which insisted on his in-person appearance by the stipulated deadline.

As of now, the Maharashtra Cyber Cell has issued summons to 40 individuals in connection with the case. Of these, three individuals have already provided statements. The agency also clarified that several summons were sent through social media accounts due to incorrect email addresses associated with some individuals.

Sources close to the investigation have revealed that Raghu Ram has explicitly stated that Raina was primarily responsible for the language used in the show, asserting that Raina made the final decisions regarding the content.

National Commission for Women (NCW) Takes Action

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has also taken action, issuing fresh summons to Allahbadia, Raina, and fellow YouTuber Apoorva Mukhija for their derogatory remarks on the now-deleted video. Allahbadia and Mukhija have been called to appear on March 6, while Raina has been summoned for March 11.

The NCW had initially issued summons for February 17, expressing concern over the "watch your parents have sex" remark and the harm it caused to public decency.

In response to the backlash, Allahbadia issued an apology via a social media video, but this failed to quell the controversy. Following the apology, several police complaints were lodged against him in various parts of the country. Allahbadia claimed to have received death threats and expressed fear for his safety, but reassured his followers on Instagram that he was not evading the investigation and was fully cooperating with the authorities.

Notably, during the ongoing investigation, police teams from Mumbai and Assam visited Allahbadia’s residence, only to find it locked. Officials also reported that his phone was switched off at the time.