Meerut-based YouTuber Shadab Jakati has found himself at the centre of a storm following the emergence of a video that shows him with a minor girl. The clip contains "indecent" remarks, triggering outrage on social media, police action, an FIR, and his arrest in short order. Bailed out later, Jakati claimed the video was misconstrued.
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Who is Shadab Jakati?
Shadab Jakati is a popular YouTuber hailing from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, and is a social media creator. He is generally known for making small comedy videos and usually enacts common characters such as shopkeepers, neighbours, customers, etc. Through his simple humour, Jakati has managed to earn a sizeable following on platforms like YouTube and Instagram; the content is always family-friendly.
Jakati often expresses his desire to represent Meerut in a positive light, and his affable online persona has turned him into somewhat of a recognisable figure in local circles.
How did the controversy begin?
Trouble began when a clip featuring Jakati as the lead started to be widely shared. In the video, he plays the role of a shopkeeper while talking to a minor girl and two women. Complainants said some of his comments were not proper and had crossed the line, as there was even a child present.
The video quickly went viral on social media, attracting criticism from viewers and forcing the police and the child rights commission to intervene after being approached by local political leaders-encluding a BJP representative. Several complaints were subsequently filed for making derogatory and unsafe remarks to a minor.
Police action and charges
Meerut Police registered an FIR at the Incholi police station following a complaint by a resident named Anees. Jakati was booked under Section 296 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for obscene acts and Section 67 of the IT Act for publishing objectionable content.
Another resident, Rahul, also submitted complaints to the Chief Minister's office, police, and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
Police said the case relied primarily on the viral clip, which showed Jakati pretending to be a shopkeeper, asking the minor to deliver certain lines that seemed inappropriate.
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Jakati's response
After being produced in court, Jakati was granted bail. As per a report by Asianet News, speaking to the media, he said the video has been misinterpreted and denied using any offensive language. He explained that the girl in the video was his daughter and the woman with her was his wife.
According to him, the lines were meant as a compliment, not an insult. He added that he took down the video when people showed their displeasure, stating he felt badly hurt because the complaint came from his own city. Jakati also said that he would apologise if anyone felt offended and promised to be more careful about what he posts in the future.
