This photo made from video, accused Nida Khan is escorted into the Nashik Road Court in connection with the TCS case in Nashik on May 11, 2026.
| Photo Credit: ANI

New Delhi:

YouTube content creator Ranveer Allahbadia and others, including comedian Samay Raina and the producers of the stand-up comedy show ‘India’s Got Latent’, have been summoned – on February 17 – by the National Commission for Women over allegedly derogatory comments.

Taking exception to the comments, the NCW has said these violate the dignity and respect owed to every individual, particularly in a society that claims to uphold equality and mutual respect.

Apart from Allahbadia and Raina, those summoned include social media influencer Apoorva Makhija and the show’s producers, Tushar Poojari and Saurabh Bothra.

In a recent episode of the show Allahbadia – aka ‘BeerBiceps Guy’ – asked a question that triggered a furious row, and led to questions being asked over standards in comedy content. The video of that question has now been removed from YouTube after the government sent the platform a notice.

READ | Why CCTVs Didn’t Capture Ranveer Allahbadia’s Crass Remark

Police complaints have been filed in Mumbai and Guwahati against Allahbadia, Raina, Makhija (a social media influencer) and others associated with that particular episode.

Meanwhile, Allahbadia may also be summoned by a parliamentary panel to explain his crass remarks; this emerged after Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, who is on Standing Committee of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, said she will raise this issue in the House.

READ | Ranveer Allahbadia Faces Parliament Summons In Crass Remarks Row

“Any abusive language in the name of comedy content crosses limits is not acceptable… You get a platform, that doesn’t mean that you will utter anything…” she said in an X post.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also vowed action.

“Everyone has freedom of speech… but this ends when we encroach on others’ freedom… if anyone crosses then action will be taken,” he said.

After the remarks sparked a row, Allahbadia offered an apology and blamed a lapse in judgement. “My comment wasn’t just inappropriate… it was not even funny. Comedy is not my forte, I am just here to say sorry,” he said in a video message.

The podcaster said this was not how he wished to use his platform. “I am not going to give any context or justification or reasoning behind whatever happened. I am just here for an apology. I personally had a lapse in judgement. It wasn’t cool on my part,” he said.

New Delhi:

The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Friday said it has initiated legal action against Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra for her remarks against its chairperson Rekha Sharma.

This came a day after the TMC, commenting on a video posted on X showing the NCW chairperson’s arrival at the site of a stampede that recently took place in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras, wrote, “She is too busy holding up her boss’s pajamas”.

The NCW in a statement said that a formal complaint has been filed with the Delhi Police and a letter has been sent to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at the Parliament stating that Ms Moitra’s remarks are condemnable in strongest possible words and being a Member of Parliament, it is unbecoming of her stature.

Reacting to the same, Ms Moitra took a jibe at the NCW and posted on X, “Come on @DelhiPolice please take action immediately on these suo moto orders. Am in Nadia in case you need me in the next 3 days to make a quick arrest. I Can Hold My Own Umbrella”.

In the letter to Mr Birla, the NCW has urged the speaker of the Lok Sabha to look into the matter and take appropriate action against Ms Moitra.

“These crude remarks are not only outrageous but also a severe violation of a woman’s right to dignity,” the NCW said.

While in the letter to the Delhi police, the NCW said upon careful consideration, the Commission said it has has determined that Ms Moitra’s remarks fall under Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023.

The NCW demanded registration of FIR against Ms Moitra. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Bibhav Kumar – Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s aide, who has been accused of harassing ruling Aam Aadmi Party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal – has been summoned by the National Commission for Women. Mr Kumar has been called to the NCW’s city office at 11 am Friday.

Allegations Ms Maliwal – the ex-Delhi Commission for Women Chairperson – was assaulted and harassed by Bibhav Kumar while at the Chief Minister’s residence have rocked the ruling party.

The allegations broke Monday after Delhi Police said two emergency calls claiming harassment were received from numbers registered to Ms Maliwal. The cops said the former women’s panel chief then showed up at the city’s Civil Lines Police Station but left without filing a formal complaint.

Ms Maliwal has yet to confirm or comment on the allegations.

However, a day after the alleged assault, and amid furious speculation over Ms Maliwal’s silence, AAP MP Sanjay Singh responded, labelling the incident “shameful” and stressing action would be taken.

READ | Kejriwal Office Staffer “Misbehaved” With Swati Maliwal: AAP Leader

“A very distressing incident took place yesterday (Monday) morning. Arvind Kejriwal had called Swati Maliwal for a meeting. She was waiting in the drawing room to meet him when Bibhav Kumar came in and misbehaved with her. After this, Ms Maliwal called the police and told them what happened.”

“Arvind Kejriwal has taken cognisance and said strictest possible action should be taken…” he said.

The allegations have triggered a fierce political row between the AAP and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, which are the main contenders for the national capital’s seven Lok Sabha seats, which will vote next week in the fifth of a seven-phase election. In 2019 the BJP won all seven seats.

#WATCH | Delhi BJP President Virendraa Sachdeva says, “We know that Vibhav Kumar is Arvind Kejriwal’s associate and handles all his work…Who insighted him? Who gave him the directions? All this should be investigated…It would have been better if Sanjay Singh himself went to… https://t.co/j1M6uh6vDSpic.twitter.com/GnnguiItwR

— ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2024

Speaking immediately after Mr Singh’s statement Tuesday, the BJP’s Delhi boss, Virendra Sachdeva, told NDTV, “Why were they silent for 36 hours? Where was the Chief Minister? A Rajya Sabha MP… a woman… was misbehaved with at Mr Kejriwal’s home and you are taking cognisance only now?

The BJP has also accused Mr Kejriwal – released from Delhi’s Tihar Jail on bail last week, following his arrest in March on corruption charges, so he can campaign for his party – of shielding Mr Kumar.

READ | Kejriwal Avoids Questions On Swati Maliwal, AAP Leader Replies

An under-fire AAP hit back earlier today, with Sanjay Singh demanding the BJP first answer questions about crimes against women in Manipur and allegations of sex crimes against Karnataka lawmaker Prajwal Revanna, who is a member of the Janata Dal Secular that is allied with the saffron party.

READ | JDS Leader On The Run In Sex Tapes Case Back This Week?

“When our wrestler daughters were fighting for justice (referring to allegations of sexual assault against national wrestling body chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh), it was Swati Maliwal who went to support them… and was beaten by police,” Mr Singh, also out on bail, declared to reporters.

“The Aam Aadmi Party is a family… has made its stance clear. I want Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and the BJP to respond to issues I have raised…” he said.

Significantly, Mr Singh’s counter came after questions regarding the Swati Maliwal row had been asked of Arvind Kejriwal. Mr Singh seemed to answer on behalf of the party boss, who stayed silent.

The BJP has launched protests over a police case against Mr Kumar and “justice” for Ms Maliwal.

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Mumbai:

Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara has asked the National Commission for Women (NCW) to share information with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) regarding the woman who is receiving threats for filing a complaint against prime accused Prajwal Revanna in a sex scandal.

“We don’t know who the person is. All questions will be answered by the SIT. If there are complaints or disturbances let the NCW talk to the SIT. The NCW can inform SIT, like how the State Commission for Women wrote to the government. The SIT authorities will initiate appropriate measures,” Mr Parameshwara told media persons.

When asked about when the SIT will track down Prajwal Revanna, the Karnataka Home Minister said, “We have appealed to the CBI to request the Interpol and other agencies to issue the Blue Corner notice. That is being done now. We have to wait regarding the information about Prajwal Revanna and in which country he is residing.”

He said that former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has been casting aspersions on the SIT probe from day one. The SIT is competent and it will come out with the truth, he added.

The NCW has directed the Karnataka Police to ensure the security of the complainant who is being threatened.

On Thursday, the NCW said that one of the woman complainants in the case had claimed that she was forced by a group of people to lodge a false complaint after being threatened with harassment.

“One woman complainant came to the Commission to register a complaint against three individuals dressed in civil uniform, allegedly introducing themselves as Karnataka Police officials and forcing her to give a false complaint,” the NCW said.

The complainant has sought protection for her family, underscoring the seriousness of the situation, the NCW said, adding that it has asked Karnataka DGP Alok Mohan to provide appropriate security to the woman.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata/New Delhi:

On a day the Trinamool Congress accused National Commission for Women Chairperson Rekha Sharma of “abusing her authority and being involved in a conspiracy” in Sandeshkhali, where women have claimed they were deceived by the BJP into filing sexual assault complaints against TMC leaders, the women’s panel asserted that the women were coerced into retracting their complaints.

Stating the party intended to move the Election Commission against Ms Sharma, West Bengal Minister and TMC Spokesperson Shashi Panja on Friday alleged that the NCW chairperson acted on “political bias” over the allegations and “encouraged women of the area to level false allegations of sexual atrocities.”

Later in the day, the NCW in a letter to the poll panel claimed that women from the riverine area were being “compelled” to withdraw their complaints by TMC workers given the ongoing Lok Sabha polls and sought an inquiry from the Election Commission in the matter.

“It has come to the notice of the Commission that the women of Sandeshkhali are being compelled to withdraw their complaints by TMC workers as they are the ruling party in West Bengal,” the women’s panel said.

National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma, after visiting Sandeshkali in February, had recommended to President Droupadi Murmu that President’s Rule be imposed in West Bengal over alleged atrocities on women and violence in Sandeshkhali.

Multiple purported videos of Sandeshkhali women shared by the TMC on Thursday claimed that a local saffron party leader made those women sign on blank papers which were later filled up as complaints of sexual assault.

The women in those purported videos claimed they were asked by local BJP worker Piyali Das to appear in person at the local police station and relate their ordeal before the NCW team which had visited Sandeshkhali to take stock of the situation.

The women later alleged that they never intended to lodge sexual assault complaints but were surprised to find such complaints filed in their names allegedly in the wake of the blank papers they were made to sign by Ms Das.

Based on a complaint, police have filed a First Information Report against Mr Das for coercing the women to “file false complaints”.

The TMC spokesperson claimed that the BJP was trying to create an “ecosystem” over allegations of atrocities in Sandeshkhali and that it was attempting to use various organisations for the purpose.

She alleged that although the BJP central leadership was regularly visiting West Bengal for poll campaigns, they have stopped talking about Sandeshkhali in the wake of the fresh developments from the ground.

“It is shameful that NCW has turned into BJP’s commission. We had heard about the Pulwama conspiracy in 2019, and now we are witnessing how the BJP hatches a conspiracy to malign us and the people of the state,” TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee said.

The rights panel requested the poll body to ensure that women are not compelled to withdraw their complaints due to threat from TMC workers.

The Commission requested the EC to look into the matter on priority and ensure that women are not compelled to withdraw their complaints due to the threat from TMC workers.

“The TMC party workers are instilling fear among the women of Sandeshkhali to suppress the victims from coming forward with their complaints potentially impacting the fairness of the election process in the area,” the NCW claimed.

Since last Saturday, three videos have been released by a portal, with the first one showing a man, who claimed to be a BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali, saying that the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, was behind the “whole conspiracy”.

The second video showed women, who had earlier filed rape complaints, claiming that they were made to sign a blank paper by the BJP leaders and coerced to go to the police station.

The third video showed the BJP candidate from Basirhat constituency and Sandeshkhali protestor Rekha Patra claiming that she “doesn’t know the rape survivors who were taken to Delhi to meet the President”. Reacting to the TMC’s claim, the BJP dubbed it baseless and accused them of circulating “fake videos”.

“The TMC is using fake videos to change the narrative ahead of the polls. The TMC has the least regard for NCW or the dignity of the women of Sandeshkhali. All the videos released are fake and doctored,” BJP State Spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.

The riverine Sandeshkhali area — situated on the borders of the Sundarbans, about 100 kilometres from Kolkata — had been on the boil in February with protests over allegations of sexual abuse and land grab against now arrested and suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)