FIRs against Samay Raina over YouTube show cancelled by Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed all First Information Reports (FIRs) filed against comedian Samay Raina and four others. These cases stemmed from controversial and insensitive remarks concerning persons with disabilities, made during a stand-up comedy show titled 'India's Got Latent.'

Last August, the court had directed Raina, the show's host, and his co-comedians to issue an unconditional apology for their remarks. These comments included mocking individuals with rare genetic disorders. At that time, the court had warned Raina of severe consequences, stating, “go apologize on your podcasts, etc… then tell us about the cost/penalty you are willing to bear.”

This afternoon, a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant acknowledged that Raina and the other individuals had complied with the court's directives. Consequently, all cases registered against them were ordered to be dropped. The court had previously summoned five influencers and stand-up comedians, including Raina, on May 5, emphasizing that speech demeaning any group of people would face scrutiny.

Ananthakrishnan G., a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, reported on this development. With over 26 years in journalism, G. has covered various beats, including law and justice, political, and community reporting. His legal background, including practicing law in Kerala, provides him with a deep understanding of the judicial system.

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go apologize on your podcasts, etc… then tell us about the cost/penalty you are willing to bear.