MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Cyber police have registered a case against stand-up comedian Pranit More, web developer Himanshu Jangra and others for allegedly circulating “obscene and objectionable” content on social media.
The accused have been summoned for questioning, an official said on Thursday.
More and Jangra are at the centre of a controversy over remarks made during a comedy show in Gurgaon that allegedly glorised coercion and non-consensual conduct towards a woman.
The case was registered at the Nodal Cyber Police Station after a preliminary probe into viral video clips from the show hosted by More, the official said.
Officials said the videos contained offensive remarks on women, consent, and deceased persons that violate public decency.
"One of the viral clips featured remarks by Himanshu Jangra suggesting an entitlement to physical intimacy in exchange for money spent during a date, which portrayed women in a derogatory manner and trivialised consent," the official said.
Another clip from the same show featured Dr Sejal Pawar making derogatory comments regarding medical cadavers and deceased male bodies used for educational purposes, which authorities flagged as highly disrespectful to the dignity of the deceased.
Pawar issued a public apology, saying she understood the backlash and accepted responsibility.
“I’m not here to justify what was said or explain it away. I take responsibility for it. Looking back, I can see how my words could be interpreted differently from what I meant,” Pawar said on social media.
The controversy began after a clip surfaced online in which Pawar was allegedly heard making remarks about how doctors joke about a man’s private parts during post-mortem examinations.
Pawar said the clip was from a show held three months ago.
She later shared a detailed apology after criticism intensified online.
“I genuinely want to address a clip from a recent video that has been circulating. Having watched it back, I completely understand why people were upset by what I said. I never intentionally thought that I would say something like that,” she said.
She added that there was no intention to disrespect anyone, calling it her “first stand-up show” and describing the incident as a learning experience.
“To everyone who was disappointed or hurt by the clip, I understand what went wrong, and I am genuinely sorry for that, and I would never let this happen ever again,” she said.
The case has been registered against More, Jangra, Pawar and other unidentified individuals under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act.
Summons have been issued to Pranit More, Himanshu Jangra and Dr Sejal Pawar, directing them to appear before Maharashtra Cyber to record their statements.
Maharashtra Cyber has also issued an advisory urging content creators and digital influencers to comply with legal frameworks while producing online content.
Police have warned that sharing or circulating the controversial clips could attract strict legal action under IT and criminal laws.
The controversy began after Jangra recounted during the show an incident involving a date where he spent Rs 370 on a plate of chicken biryani and allegedly asked for sexual favours in return.
More was seen laughing at the remark.
Both More and Jangra later apologised after backlash, and Jangra deactivated his Instagram account.
Earlier, the National Commission for Women (NCW) took suo motu cognisance of the matter and summoned More and Jangra, seeking a report within seven days.
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