Lata-Sachin mock video creates furore, AIB's Tanmay in the dock

Trouble has mounted for controversial online comedy group AIB with the Mumbai police on Monday registering a complaint against its co-founder Tanmay Bhat, who has made a video of a mock conversation involving Lata Mangeshkar and Sachin Tendulkar. 

The cyber cell has directed Google, Facebook, YouTube, SnapChat and other channels to delete the All India Bakchod's contentious video. 

Bhat, a stand-up comedian, posted the video ‘Sachin v/s Lata Civil War’ on Facebook on May 26. The video, which takes jibes at the 86-year-old melody queen and the 43-year-old cricketing legend, has several insulting content and triggered a backlash from various quarters. Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), BJP and NCP have sought Bhat’s arrest. Lodging a complaint with the Shivaji Park police station, MNS Chitrapat Sena president Amey Khopkar said, “He (Bhat) will have to face the music.” But the police are yet to register an FIR, DCP (Operations) Sangramsingh Nishandar said, adding the police have taken a transcript of the video and they would seek an opinion from legal experts before taking action. 

 Several leaders wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Mumbai police chief Datta Padsalgikar, seeking action against all those behind the video.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe said strict action must be taken so that this is not repeated. Her views were echoed by BJP Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar, who said, “We cannot ignore such things.”  “Happened to watch a part of a desperate and shameful attempt to be funny by a wannabe comedian on @sachin_rt ji and @mangeshkarlata ji,” tweeted Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray, son of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray.

“This is not the first time AIB is involved in an incident like this. In the past too they have been in the news for the wrong reasons,” NCP spokesperson and former Labour minister Nawab Malik said.