Social media influencer Apoorva Makhija, and YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani, both gave their statements to the Mumbai police on Wednesday in connection to the controversy over Samay Raina’s show, India’s Got Latent.
What did Makhija and Chanchlani told the police?
Both influencers told the police that the show is unscripted, allowing judges and participants to speak freely. They also explained that judges do not receive a salary, but they retain the freedom to post show material on their social media page. Audience members are required to purchase a ticket to see the show and ticket sale revenue is given to the winner of the show.
Four persons, including Makhija and Ranveer Allahbadia’s manager, have already given statements to police at Khar police station and so far, Allahbadia has not been summoned for questioning, as per an official at Khar police station. The Maharashtra Cyber Department registered an FIR on Tuesday against the show.
The controversy started when Ranveer Allahbadia reportedly made offensive remarks on the show and many people protested. After backlash, he posted an apology video, but the problem is still creating a ruckus.
FIR Against Ranveer Allahbadia
Nilotpal Mrinal Pandey, a supporter of Maharashtra BJP’s Uttar Bhartiya Morcha, filed a complaint against Allahbadia and others on Monday. The issue was subsequently brought up in the House by the Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske who made a demand of reviewing the social media content regulation laws more strictly.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has called Allahbadia, Raina, Makhija, Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh and producers Tushar Poojari and Saurabh Bothra to appear before it in New Delhi on February 17.
In the meantime, a team from the Assam Police flew to Mumbai on Wednesday to probe the issue. Guwahati Crime Branch lodged an FIR against the show’s judges and contestants and charged them with making publication of obscenity and explicit conversation. Senior officials also confirmed that the team has been dispatched to Mumbai as part of the investigation.
