Tanmay Bhat apologises after AIB releases statement; says YouTube channel dead for forseeable future

Mumbai-based content creation agency, All India Bakchod (AIB) recently released a statement saying: “AIB’s YouTube channel is for all intents and purposes, dead for the foreseeable future.” Meanwhile, after the company issued the statement on May 22, AIB's former CEO Tanmay Bhat uploaded the statement on social media with an apology:

View this post on Instagram

The hardest part about everything that has happened in the last 8 months is to come to terms with my own failings as a leader and as an individual. But I know that owning up, being vulnerable, and taking responsibility are the only ways to move forward. I am deeply sorry for the distress I’ve caused to my friends, and anyone affected by my actions. I am deeply sorry to my colleagues who’ve had to go through immense stress that I feel responsible for. I realise that in the past, I’ve failed to live up to ideals that I've propagated myself, and my resolve is to ensure that this never happens again. I ask that you believe my intentions in good faith while holding me to my words. If I make any lapses in judgement in the future, I welcome critique and accountability from followers of my work, both men and women. In any leadership capacity in the future I will strive to build spaces in which women feel welcomed, valued, safe, heard and nurtured. I am committing to a daily process of unlearning, rewiring, and learning. To those who continue to have faith in me — thank you for giving me this invaluable opportunity to change and grow. I want to now look forward and let my actions prove my growth. Thank you.

A post shared by Tanmay Bhat (@tanmaybhat) on May 22, 2019 at 11:28pm PDT

In October 2018, Tanmay Bhat, the CEO of the company, was accused of not taking any action against comedian Utsav Chakraborty – AIB’s employee – after several women, last year, made allegations against him for sending lewd messages to minors over the phone.

As the allegations became public, Bhat stepped down as the company’s CEO and AIB decided to discontinue all the projects he was associated with at the time.

Bhat's statement read as,

I am deeply sorry for the distress I’ve caused to my friends, and anyone affected by my actions. I am deeply sorry to my colleagues who’ve had to go through immense stress that I feel responsible for.”

Meanwhile, the statement by AIB said that Bhat “will no longer hold the position of CEO” and his “lapse of judgment regarding Utsav Chakraborty was egregious.”

Accordingly, now comedians Rohan Joshi and Ashish Shakya will be taking care of the company’s “remaining affairs”

Another AIB employee, Gursimran Khamba was also accused of sexual harassment around the same time. After which, the company sent Khamba on temporary leave and set up an external committee to investigate the same.

However, as per the statement, Khamba won't be part of the company anymore as he withdrew from the investigation process midway “citing issues with the procedure.”

Khamba had announced about the same on Instagram: 

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Statement

A post shared by Khamba (@gursimrankhamba) on May 22, 2019 at 9:18am PDT