Mumbai Police have asked podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia to report to them on Saturday in connection with an ongoing investigation into his inflammatory comments made on a YouTube program. He was supposed to report to the police on Friday but did not.
On Friday, officials from the Mumbai and Assam police went to his city home, only to find the apartment locked, an official confirmed.
Allahbadia, who is best known by his YouTube personality 'BeerBiceps,' made controversial statements regarding parents and sex while appearing on comedian Samay Raina's now-removed YouTube show, 'India's Got Latent.' His statements have caused a huge backlash and have resulted in several complaints.
"The Mumbai police, who have initiated an inquiry in connection with Ranveer Allahbadia's controversial remarks, on Friday went to his flat in Versova area but found it locked," an official said.
Earlier, Allahbadia had been summoned to Khar police station on Thursday for questioning about his statements. When he did not comply, the authorities served a second notice asking him to report on Friday. But again, he did not turn up.
He had allegedly asked to have his statement recorded at home, but the police refused, the official stated.
Meanwhile, there is also an Assam police team looking to question Allahbadia on the basis of a case registered in Guwahati. A local resident has filed the complaint against him for propagating obscenity in a live online show.
"Accordingly, teams of the Mumbai and Assam police went to Allahbadia's flat in Versova but found it locked. Both the police teams then returned to Khar police station," the police official said.
The Guwahati case, which was registered on Monday, also lists comedian Samay Raina as a co-accused along with Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh, and Apoorva Makhija.
The Assam police team meanwhile met Maharashtra Cyber Department officials on Thursday.
Both Mumbai Police and the Cyber Department, who are carrying out parallel investigations into the incident, have asked Raina to report before them within the next five days.
Till now, eight people, including Allahbadia's manager, Chanchalani, and Makhija, have been recorded by Khar police station in their statements, following a complaint lodged by a BJP functionary. But no FIR has been registered by Mumbai Police so far.
On Friday, police also recorded the statement of Pratham Sagar, who is the video editor of 'India's Got Latent.' He was released after being questioned briefly.
The Maharashtra Cyber Department has called about 50 individuals to give statements in relation to the case. This includes contestants who were on the show. Actor and TV personality Raghu Ram, who acted as a judge on Raina's show, published his statement with the agency on Thursday.
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