SC cancels FIRs against Samay Raina over remarks on persons with disabilities

The Supreme Court on Friday quashed criminal proceedings against comedian Samay Raina and four other comedians over insensitive remarks at persons with disabilities on his India’s Got Latent show, taking note of their efforts to organise awareness and fundraising events for the community.A Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant appreciated the comedians’ "positive efforts", including organising events and raising funds for the welfare of persons with disabilities, and observed that such initiatives would lead to positive outcomes.Apart from Raina, the case against other comedians Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar over remarks made in an episode of a previous edition of India’s Got Latent in November 2024 has also been cancelled."Once there are genuine efforts positive results are bound to be there. They are very bright youngsters. If they have started working in positive direction, there will be positive output," the bench said. However, Samay Raina and several others still face another case over an objectionable remark made by YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, better known as BeerBiceps, at the show about a contestant’s parents.In its order calling the FIR, the Supreme Court noted that the respondents had organised a chess tournament for persons with disabilities in March this year and the event received widespread media coverage and helped raise awareness about organisations working for persons with disabilities, including those supporting people with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Raina had mocked a two-month-old infant suffering from SMA and the 16-crore cost of their life-saving treatment.The bench also took note of a "constructive conversation" between the comedians and the petitioner NGO, Cure SMA India Foundation, aimed at spreading awareness about the rare genetic disease.The Supreme Court, however, kept the broader issue alive and said it would consider suggestions from persons with disabilities on safeguards for online content and issue appropriate directions."Matter qua respondents 6-10 (the accused comedians) is closed. Criminal proceedings against respondents 6-10 are hereby quashed. All other related proceedings are set aside. List to issue directions on the larger issue," the court ordered.In November 2025, the court had directed Raina and the other comedians to organise at least two events a month to raise funds for a corpus for persons with disabilities and to encourage persons with disabilities to participate in their programmes.Podcaster Allahbadia’s plea for relief in the cases against him remains pending, though the Supreme Court had earlier granted him interim protection from arrest.- EndsPublished By: Karishma Saurabh KalitaPublished On: Aug 14, 2026 14:29 IST