Supreme Court Allows Ranveer Allahbadia to Reclaim Passport After ‘India’s Got Latent’ Controversy

New Delhi, April 29, 2025 – The Supreme Court of India on Monday allowed podcaster and content creator Ranveer Allahbadia to recover his passport, granting him permission to travel abroad for professional purposes after the conclusion of investigations linked to multiple FIRs filed against him over controversial remarks made during a YouTube show.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh directed Allahbadia to apply to the Maharashtra Cyber Crime Bureau, which would release his passport under reasonable conditions. The court emphasized that Allahbadia must comply with any future summons if required by the investigating authorities.

The FIRs were lodged in Maharashtra, Assam, and Rajasthan after Allahbadia, during an episode of comedian Samay Raina’s YouTube show “India’s Got Latent,” posed a controversial question that sparked outrage. Allahbadia had asked a contestant an inappropriate hypothetical involving their parents, which triggered public backlash and led to charges.

Initially, the apex court had, on April 1, refused to return his passport, noting that the investigations were still ongoing. However, with the Maharashtra and Assam governments confirming that their probes have concluded, the court relaxed his bail condition regarding the passport’s surrender.

Following the controversy, Allahbadia publicly apologized, stating that the attempt at humor was misguided. Meanwhile, Samay Raina removed all episodes of the show and expressed willingness to cooperate with the authorities.

Earlier, the court had permitted Allahbadia to resume his popular podcast “The Ranveer Show,” cautioning him to maintain decency and avoid using profane language in his content.

The Supreme Court’s decision marks a significant step for Allahbadia, allowing him to resume international professional engagements, while broader debates over content regulation and freedom of expression in India’s digital space continue.