The Maharashtra Home Department has ordered a detailed investigation into videos on stand-up comedian Pranit More's social media accounts and other digital platforms, intensifying the controversy over allegedly objectionable remarks made during one of his shows. The probe has been handed to the Maharashtra Cyber Police, who will examine footage from various performances, viral clips, and other online content.

Scope of the Cyber Police Probe

The Maharashtra Cyber Police team will scrutinise videos from multiple shows, viral clips — including the widely circulated 'Rs 370 Biryani' segment — and other digital content linked to More. The directive from the Home Department signals the state government's intent to treat the matter as more than a social media controversy, elevating it to a formal law-enforcement inquiry.

Pranit More Issues Apology

Amid mounting public criticism, More issued an apology on Saturday via a video shared on Instagram, acknowledging a lapse in judgment during the crowd-work segment of his performance. His Instagram account had been suspended prior to the apology.

'I wanted to talk to all of you about this, but my Instagram account was suspended. You have seen the crowd-work video circulating on social media, and I have been receiving a lot of hate because of it,' More said.

He admitted that he failed to intervene when a member of the audience made derogatory comments during the session. 'I feel I deserve this hate. During the crowd-work session, the man made several derogatory comments. Everyone was laughing, and I, too, got carried away. It was a lapse in judgment. I believe it was my biggest mistake. I could have taken a stand at that moment, but I did not,' he said. More acknowledged that his reaction gave the remarks a platform and allowed the situation to escalate, and he requested the public to give him one more chance.

NCW Summons and Institutional Action

The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Thursday summoned More and web developer Himanshu Jangra over remarks allegedly made during a stand-up comedy show held in Gurugram. The commission stated that the comments appeared to glorify sexual coercion and non-consensual conduct towards a woman.

In a separate but related development, KEM Hospital and Seth G.S. Medical College on Saturday placed MBBS student Sejal Pawar on a 15-day forced leave following a controversy over a viral video in which she allegedly made objectionable remarks during the same show.

Broader Context and What Comes Next

This is not the first time stand-up comedy content has drawn regulatory or legal scrutiny in India, but the combination of a state-level cyber probe, an NCW summons, and institutional disciplinary action against an audience member marks an unusual escalation. The Maharashtra Cyber Police investigation could potentially result in formal charges depending on what the digital audit reveals. All parties involved — More, Jangra, and Pawar — now face parallel proceedings before different authorities, and the outcome of the NCW summons is expected to set a precedent for how similar cases are handled going forward.