YouTube show row: Maharashtra cyber asks comedian Samay Raina to appear for inquiry on February 18

Mumbai: Maharashtra Cyber, a cyber and information security division, has rejected comedian Samay Raina's request to record his statement virtually in a case registered over his YouTube show and asked him to appear before it on February 18, an official said on Monday.

The agency is investigating the case registered against podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia and others after he triggered a massive uproar with his crass remarks about parents Raina’s web show "India’s Got Latent".

The official said Raina, who is in the US for his show, had requested Maharashtra Cyber to record his statement via video-conferencing, but the agency has rejected his request.

He said the comedian has been asked to appear before the agency on February 18.

Earlier, the Mumbai police also had asked Raina to appear at the Khar police for an inquiry before February 17, and he informed them about his shows abroad.

The police had earlier rejected Allahbadia's request to record his statement at his residence, and he was asked to appear before the police in person.

The Mumbai and Assam police and Maharashtra Cyber are yet to record the statement of Allahbadia, popular on YouTube for his 'BeerBiceps' channel.

Maharashtra Cyber has summoned at least 50 persons to record their statements in connection with the case. They include those who participated in the show.

The official said a team from the Assam police, which was in Mumbai to investigate in connection with the case registered with them over the show, left on Sunday after serving notices to accused persons at their residences.

He said the Assam police have asked all the accused persons to appear before them in Guwahati in person.

Many of the accused persons were not available to record statements, following which the Assam Police team served notices to them under section 35 (3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), he said.

If they failed to appear before the police in Guwahati, the team may travel to Mumbai again for further action in their case, he said.