The court's order and who it covers
The Supreme Court of India on Friday quashed all criminal proceedings and FIRs against comedian Samay Raina and four others in connection with allegations that they made insensitive remarks about persons with disabilities during the comedy show India's Got Latent. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana passed the order, noting the respondents' compliance with earlier directions to organise awareness programmes and raise funds for persons with disabilities. The court praised the five respondents, describing them as "very bright youngsters," and remarked that "once there are genuine efforts, positive results are bound to be there."
Besides Raina, the relief was granted to Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar alias Sonali Aditya Desai, and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar.
Why the FIRs were filed
The FIRs, filed in April last year, followed an episode of India's Got Latent recorded on November 14, 2024, that was subsequently broadcast online. A petition by Cure SMA India Foundation argued that remarks on the show about persons with disabilities and the cost of treatment for conditions such as Spinal Muscular Atrophy were derogatory and undermined dignity. The Supreme Court had earlier taken a serious view of the issue, granting interim protection and directing the comedians to publicly apologise and use their platforms to promote awareness and support for persons with disabilities. The Court stressed at the time that "humour cannot be at the cost of a person's dignity."
What the five respondents did to comply
The five respondents took steps to comply with the Court's earlier directions, including organising a chess tournament in March for persons with disabilities and supporting awareness initiatives, including those tied to rare diseases such as Spinal Muscular Atrophy. They also agreed to work with the Cure SMA India Foundation to spread awareness about Spinal Muscular Atrophy and to organise programmes celebrating people living with the condition. The bench considered these efforts in deciding to close the criminal proceedings and set aside related proceedings.
What remains before the court
The bench made clear that the broader issue of potentially insensitive content would continue to be examined. The Court said it would hear suggestions from persons with disabilities on measures that could ensure better checks on such content before issuing directions on the larger issue. Separately, the plea of YouTuber and podcast host Ranveer Allahabadia, popularly known as Beer Biceps, who is also associated with the show, remains pending before the Supreme Court; he had earlier been granted interim protection from arrest.
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