The comeback is bigger than the setback. This phrase goes well with Samay Raina's situation. The comedian grabbed headlines not just for his jokes, one-liners and India's Got Latent, but also for a few jokes that went below the belt and sparked massive outrage on social media. The one-and-a-half years that followed were nothing less than turmoil for Samay Raina.
After a sabbatical, Samay made a comeback with a bang with India's Got Latent Season 2. Ever since the show dropped on Netflix India and YouTube, he reclaimed his success. However, his success was short-lived as, once again, Samay landed in controversy. This time, the Supreme Court reprimanded the comedian and came down heavily on him, imposing a fine of Rs 3 lakh.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court stated that Samay Raina had "taken the court for a ride" by making false statements and failing to honour the assurances given before the bench. The court imposed a fine of Rs 3 lakh each on Raina and fellow comedians Vipul Goyal, Balraj Ghai, Sonali Thakkar and Nishant Tanwar, directing them to deposit the amount within two weeks and warning that the penalty could be enhanced if they failed to comply.
"We believe Samay Raina has taken the court for a ride, brazenly violated our orders. If you don't know how to mend your ways or respect the sentiments of the society members, then you have to face consequences," the Supreme Court said.
Initially, the court proposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on Samay Raina. However, after the comedian's lawyer sought one last chance and appealed for leniency, the bench reduced the amount to Rs 3 lakh, while warning that it could increase the fine to Rs 30 lakh if it was not satisfied at the next hearing.
What went wrong this time?
The top court was hearing a plea filed by Cure SMA India Foundation, which alleged that Raina made insensitive remarks about the high cost of treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and ridiculed a person living with the disability.
The plea also flagged jokes made by India's Got Latent host Samay Raina and fellow comedians Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar.
Appearing for Cure SMA Foundation, lawyer Aparajita Singh told the court that although the comedians had organised some events for specially abled individuals, they had not contacted the Foundation as directed.
"I don't know what kind of youth icon he is... I shudder to think. There is a genuine lack of apology from Samay Raina," Aparajita Singh told the court.
Responding to the allegations, Samay Raina's lawyer submitted that they did not have the address of the Cure SMA Foundation, which is why they could not reach out.
"The specially abled people were called, and photographs are there. But if Ms Aparajita Singh's client was not reached out to, then it is unfortunate. We will prevail over our client and have it done," the lawyer said.
Chief Justice Surya Kant also expressed displeasure over Raina's response to the court, reportedly remarking, "Throw it away," while questioning why such a reply had been filed after so much time.
The bench cautioned that if the comedians failed to comply with its directions within the stipulated period, the penalty could be increased substantially. "One more zero can be added," the Chief Justice remarked, indicating that the fine could be raised from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 30 lakh for each individual.
About the latent controversy
The controversy dates back to two episodes of India's Got Latent streamed on YouTube in 2025, in which Samay Raina and fellow comedians allegedly made remarks targeting persons with disabilities, including patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), an infant suffering from the condition, as well as blind and cross-eyed individuals.
The remarks triggered widespread outrage, prompting the Supreme Court to issue summonses to the comedians and direct them to publish public apologies on their respective social media platforms.
During the hearings, Chief Justice Surya Kant also called for stronger legal safeguards against disability-based ridicule, suggesting that Parliament consider a law on the lines of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to make derogatory jokes targeting persons with disabilities a punishable offence.
"Why not consider a law along the lines of the SC/ST Act, with clear punishment for demeaning them?" the Chief Justice had asked the Solicitor General, who agreed that humour should never come at the cost of anyone's dignity.
