Hello friends, Today we are going to talk about an issue that is becoming fiercely viral on social media. A controversy has surfaced regarding famous YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani, due to which the Gauhati High Court has granted him interim bail. This matter is related to his show ‘India’s Got Latent’, which has been accused of promoting obscene and controversial content. Let us know what the whole matter is and what the court said.
What is the whole matter?
On February 12, Assam Police registered an FIR against Ashish Chanchlani and other content creators. Complainant Alok Borua alleged that obscene and objectionable things were said in the show, which could send a wrong message to society. Sections like Sections 79 (insulting the modesty of a woman), 95 (involving children in crime), 294 (sale of obscene material) and 296 (obscene acts and songs) of the Indian Penal Code (BNS) have been added in the FIR. Apart from this, sections of the IT Act 2000, Cinematograph Act 1952 and Obscene Portrayal of Women (Prohibition) Act 1986 have also been imposed. In this case, the names of many famous content creators like Ranveer Allahabadia, Jaspreet Singh, Apoorva Mukhija and Samay Raina have also come to the fore, who have been accused of promoting obscenity.
What did Ashish Chanchlani say?
On behalf of Ashish Chanchlani, his lawyers Diganta Das and Jayraj Borah argued in the court that he had nothing to do with this controversial statement. He said that whatever objectionable things were said in the show were said by some other panellist, to which Ranveer Allahabadia was specifically named. Apart from this, the defence said that Chanchlani was not even associated with the editing or post-production of the show and did not promote any controversial comments. Therefore, it would not be right to hold him responsible in this matter.
What did the Gauhati High Court say?
Taking the matter seriously, the Gauhati High Court talked about maintaining a balance between the right to freedom of expression given in the Constitution and the laws of obscenity. The court said that if any controversial thing is said on a platform, then no one can be considered a criminal just by being present there unless it is proved that he supported or promoted that statement. Since Ashish Chanchlani’s name was linked only due to his presence in the show, there was no need for immediate arrest. The court said that many people are involved in the process of creating digital content, such as script writers, editors and production teams. In such a situation, it would not be appropriate to put criminal responsibility on anyone without concrete evidence.
What did the Gauhati High Court say on bail?
The Gauhati High Court granted interim anticipatory bail to Ashish Chanchlani and said that he would have to appear before the investigating officer within the next 10 days and cooperate in the investigation.
Now this matter has been listed for the next hearing on March 7, where the details of the case will be reviewed again. This case shows the tussle between social media and the law. Digital content creators need to understand that every statement they make can have a public impact. At the same time, there must be a balance between freedom of expression and responsibility.
Disclaimer: This article is written for informational purposes only. The information given in it is based on various news sources. Our aim is not to defame any person or institution. Readers are requested to study official sources to get complete information.
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