Supreme Court Considers Comedian’s Plea to Club FIRs in Biryani Controversy
In a recent development, the Supreme Court of India has taken into account the plea of stand-up comedian Pranit More, who is seeking the consolidation of two First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against him in connection with the ₹370 biryani comment incident. The case, titled Pranit More v State of Maharashtra & Ors., was heard by a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana.
The FIRs, lodged in Maharashtra and Haryana respectively, stem from a viral video of More’s stand-up comedy show in Gurugram. During the show, an audience member, Himanshu Jangra, mentioned spending ₹370 on biryani during a date, implying certain expectations from his date in return. The exchange was hosted by More and quickly drew criticism upon circulation online.
Following the video’s viral spread, the Maharashtra Cyber Police registered an FIR against More and others for the allegedly objectionable content. Subsequently, the Gurugram Police filed a separate FIR based on a complaint by the National Commission for Women (NCW), which had expressed concern over the remarks related to consent and sexual conduct.
During the Supreme Court proceedings, More’s counsel argued for the clubbing of the FIRs, emphasizing that both originate from the same incident. “We are seeking the clubbing of FIRs. Both FIRs stem from the same set of facts and circumstances,” More’s lawyer submitted to the court.
In response to the controversy, More had publicly apologized for not intervening during the conversation at the show. He presented a written apology to the NCW, although it was reportedly not accepted. His lawyer reiterated More’s readiness to face trial, provided the FIRs are merged. “I understand the gravity of the situation… I’m ready to face the trial,” he affirmed.
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Explaining his actions post the video’s release, the lawyer noted that More had promptly removed the video upon recognizing the issue’s seriousness. “Even before the FIR was registered, as soon as I got to know about the gravity of the situation, I deleted the video. I was traveling at that time, and the PR team that I have, they did not take my approval before publishing the video,” the lawyer explained.
The Supreme Court has issued notices to the governments of Maharashtra and Haryana, seeking their responses to More’s request for the clubbing of the FIRs.
