I have never met Ranveer Allahbadia, nor have I ever watched any of his podcasts. I am neither puritanical nor a moralist, but I can understand why his entirely gratuitous and obscene remarks sparked outrage among so many. Even so, I salute the Supreme Court’s judgment, which, while expressing concern over his having crossed the line of decency in this case, upheld the fundamental right enshrined in Article 19 of the Constitution, reaffirming the freedom of speech.

On further scrutiny, I found that Allahbadia has millions of followers and is recognised for his motivational advice, entrepreneurial insights, and candid conversations. However, his style is often characterised by raw and unfiltered language, an inclination to tackle taboo subjects, and, as alleged by many, a tendency to frequently cross the line of decency and propriety.

In 2023, a petition was filed in the Delhi High Court (HC) by a group of citizens, arguing that some of Allahbadia’s content violated India’s obscenity laws and decency standards, as outlined in the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act. The petitioners claimed that his use of explicit language and discussions on........

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