Gauhati High Court confirms grant of anticipatory bail to Ashish Chanchlani

The Gauhati High Court on Friday made absolute the interim bail granted earlier to YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani in the obscenity case registered against him by Guwahati police..The first information report (FIR) was lodged in relation to allegations of promoting obscenity on the show India's Got Latent, where podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia is the key accused.Justice Mridul Kumar Kalita passed the order confirming the interim protection today. "Considering the fact that the petitioner has co-operated in the investigation, the interim anticipatory bail granted to the petitioner vide order dated 18.02.2025 is hereby made absolute with condition No.2 attached to the said order remaining intact," the Court ordered..The High Court had last month granted interim protection from arrest to Chanchlani on the condition that he appears before the investigating agency."Considering the fact that no specific allegation is levelled against the petitioner in the FIR and the petitioner is ready to cooperate in the investigation. Moreover, one of the co-accused has already been granted protection by the Supreme Court of India. Hence, in the meanwhile, the petitioner is directed to appear before the Investigating Officer of Cyber P.S. Case No. 03/2025, within a period of 10(ten) days from the date of this order and co-operate in the investigation. If he does so within the stipulated period of time, in the event of his arrest in the aforesaid case, he shall be allowed to go on interim bail," the Court had ordered on February 18.Today, the police told the Court that Chanchlani appeared before the Investigating Officer and his statement has already been recorded..The controversial episode shot on November 14, 2024 at Khar Habitat, but aired recently, had seen consistent use of abusive language by the show’s panel, including Chanchlani, Allahbadia, comedian Samay Raina and others.The FIR against Chanchlani and others was lodged at the Cyber Police Station, Guwahati Crime Branch, following a complaint filed by an individual on February 10. He has been booked for offences under Sections 79 (words, gestures insulting modesty of woman), 95 (hiring/employing child to commit offence), 294 (sale of obscene objects to child) and 296 (obscene acts and songs) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and for offences under the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986..Chanchlani has also filed plea before the Supreme Court for transfer of the case from Guwahati to Mumbai. The Court has issued notice in the matter..Senior Advocate D Das with advocates HK Nath, N Patiri, K Kakoti and J Borah represented Chanchlani..[Read Order]