Comedian Samay Raina has received major relief from the Supreme Court after the top court quashed all FIRs filed against him and four others over insensitive remarks concerning persons with disabilities on his show India's Got Latent.
The decision came after the court noted that Raina and the others had complied with its earlier directions, including efforts to conduct awareness programmes and raise funds for persons with disabilities.
Supreme Court Quashes FIRs Against Samay Raina
A Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice JV Mohana quashed the criminal cases against Samay Raina and four others on Friday.
The cases were linked to remarks made on India's Got Latent that were alleged to be insensitive towards people with disabilities.
The Supreme Court had earlier reprimanded Raina over the remarks and directed him to undertake awareness initiatives and raise funds for persons with disabilities.
Why Were FIRs Filed Against Samay Raina?
The legal case stemmed from remarks made on India's Got Latent concerning people with disabilities.
According to the NDTV report, the Cure SMA India Foundation had approached the Supreme Court, alleging that Raina made insensitive remarks about the high cost of treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and allegedly ridiculed a person with the disability.
The petition also flagged jokes made by Raina, who hosted the show, along with other social media personalities.
The people named alongside Raina in the petition were Vipun Goyal, Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar.
Samay Raina Had Earlier Been Fined ₹3 Lakh
Before quashing the FIRs, the Supreme Court had taken a strong view of the matter.
During the previous hearing, the court imposed a ₹3 lakh cost on Samay Raina and the four others, after observing that they had not complied with undertakings given to make amends.
The court had earlier directed Raina to conduct awareness programmes and raise funds for people with disabilities.
The latest order came after the bench noted that Raina and the others had complied with those directions.
Court Appreciates Their Efforts
The Supreme Court also acknowledged the efforts made by Raina and the others to organise shows benefiting people with disabilities.
The bench observed that genuine efforts can produce positive results and noted that the individuals involved had started working in a positive direction.
Following this, the court proceeded to quash the criminal cases connected with the insensitive remarks.
What Happened With India's Got Latent?
The controversy surrounding India's Got Latent had previously resulted in multiple legal cases involving Raina and other personalities associated with the show.
The particular case addressed in the latest Supreme Court order concerned allegations of insensitive remarks about people with disabilities.
According to NDTV, the controversial episode was recorded in November, and Raina and other comics subsequently faced several cases over allegations involving obscene and insensitive remarks.
Samay Raina India's Got Latent Case: What's the Latest?
The latest Supreme Court decision means the FIRs covered by the proceedings have been quashed.
The court's decision followed the compliance noted by the bench and the efforts undertaken by Raina and the other individuals involved.
For Samay Raina, the ruling brings significant legal relief in the India's Got Latent case after months of proceedings and earlier criticism from the Supreme Court.
