The Supreme Court has brought an end to the criminal proceedings against stand-up comedian Samay Raina and four others in connection with the controversy surrounding allegedly derogatory remarks about persons with disabilities on the comedy show India's Got Latent.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana quashed the FIRs against Raina, Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar, also known as Sonali Aditya Desai, and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar.
The decision came after the court noted that the comedians had made genuine efforts to comply with its earlier directions, which included conducting awareness programmes and contributing to fundraising initiatives for persons with disabilities.
During the previous hearing, the court had imposed a cost of ?3 lakh on Raina and the other respondents after expressing displeasure over their failure to fully adhere to commitments they had made before the court. The latest proceedings, however, took note of the steps subsequently undertaken by them.
The controversy originated from an episode of India's Got Latent that was filmed at Khar Habitat in Mumbai on November 14, 2024, and released later. The episode attracted criticism over remarks concerning persons with disabilities, including comments relating to the high cost of treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
Cure SMA India Foundation had approached the Supreme Court over the issue, raising concerns about the content and the remarks made by Raina and other individuals associated with the episode.
The bench observed that the respondents' efforts towards awareness and fundraising represented a positive development. The court indicated that meaningful initiatives could produce constructive outcomes, particularly when young people involved in the controversy chose to work towards creating greater awareness.
While closing the criminal proceedings against the five respondents, the Supreme Court clarified that the broader issue surrounding safeguards against insensitive content would continue to be examined. The bench said it would consider suggestions from persons with disabilities and examine possible measures to ensure better checks on such material.
The court accordingly closed the proceedings concerning the five comedians while keeping the larger question open for consideration and future directions.
Ranveer Allahabadia's Case Still Pending
The controversy had also resulted in legal action against YouTuber and entrepreneur Ranveer Allahabadia, popularly known as Beer Biceps. However, his plea seeking relief in the cases filed against him remains pending before the Supreme Court.
Allahabadia had previously received interim protection from arrest from the apex court. His proceedings are therefore separate from the latest order that brought the cases against Raina and the four other respondents to an end.
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