Mumbai Police Summon Ranveer Allahbadia, Samay Raina for Inquiry

The Mumbai Police have initiated an inquiry into podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia and YouTuber Samay Raina following controversial comments made during an episode of ‘India’s Got Latent,’ a show hosted by Raina. The police have reached out to both individuals for questioning, a senior officer confirmed on Tuesday.

The episode, which featured Allahbadia—widely recognized for his YouTube channel BeerBiceps—alongside content creators Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh, and Apoorva Makhija, sparked nationwide outrage. Clips of Allahbadia’s remarks gained widespread attention on social media, leading to a debate about the limits of free speech and content regulation on digital platforms.

Several political groups, legal professionals, and advocacy organizations condemned the statements. Multiple complaints were lodged against Allahbadia, Raina, the show’s producers, and the streaming platform that aired the episode. The program was reportedly filmed at a studio in Khar, Mumbai.

Lawyers Ashish Rai and Pankaj Mishra formally submitted complaints to Mumbai Police and the national and Maharashtra women’s commissions, alleging that Allahbadia’s comments were offensive toward women and parents. Nikhil Ruparel, a representative of the Congress-affiliated National Students Union of India, separately petitioned the Bandra magistrate court, demanding a criminal investigation.

While Mumbai Police have yet to register a formal First Information Report (FIR), authorities have begun preliminary inquiries. In contrast, Assam Police took swift action on Monday, filing an FIR against Allahbadia, Raina, and others involved in the show. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly confirmed the development via social media.

Following the backlash, Allahbadia issued a public apology, acknowledging that his remarks were inappropriate and stating that comedy is not his area of expertise. “The comment was not just in poor taste; it wasn’t funny. I sincerely apologize,” he said in a video statement.

In response to government intervention, YouTube removed the controversial episode from its platform.