Comedian Samay Raina has landed in fresh legal trouble after the Supreme Court imposed a cost of Rs 10 lakh. The court observed that the comedian had allegedly made false statements before the court and failed to comply with its earlier directions in connection with India’s Got Latent controversy.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice J.V. Mohana directed Raina to deposit the amount within two weeks. The court also warned that coercive action would follow if he failed to comply.
Why Did The Supreme Court Fine Samay Raina?
The Supreme Court said Samay Raina had not complied with its earlier directions related to India’s Got Latent case. During the hearing, Senior Advocate Aparajita Singh informed the bench that Raina had allegedly failed to contact the Cure SMA Foundation or people suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), despite assurances previously given before the court.
“Samay Raina is doing shows, but has not contacted the SMA Foundation or persons suffering from SMA as per the court’s order. I don’t know what kind of youth icon he is. I shudder to think,” Singh submitted.
Taking serious note of the alleged non-compliance, the bench remarked, “You have taken the court for a ride,” before imposing a cost of Rs 10 lakh.
What Is India’s Got Latent Case?
The matter came up during the hearing of petitions filed by content creators Ranveer Allahbadia and Ashish Chanchlani, along with the Cure SMA Foundation, following the controversy over remarks made during the first season of India’s Got Latent. The case gradually evolved into a debate on the accountability of digital creators and online content standards.
What Did The Centre Tell The Supreme Court?
Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also questioned Raina’s conduct. Mehta referred to one of the comedian’s recent performances, alleging that Raina appeared to mock the ongoing legal proceedings.
“Recently, he started a new show. He said that now, at the beginning, he is doing something which he did not do in the last series. He hangs nimbu-mirchi. He did not name anyone, but the reference was quite visible,” Mehta told the court.
The Solicitor General added that he chose to raise the issue after learning that Raina had allegedly not complied with the court’s directions regarding the SMA Foundation.
What Was Samay Raina’s Response?
Raina’s lawyer told the court that the failure to contact the SMA Foundation was not intentional or driven by ego. “Not contacting the SMA Foundation has not happened due to ego. As officers of the court, we will try to impress upon our client,” the counsel submitted.
Supreme Court’s Strong Remarks
The bench expressed strong displeasure over Raina’s conduct, with the Chief Justice making sharp observations during the hearing. “They think sitting outside the country, they are beyond jurisdiction. Let them suffer now. If this is not arrogance, then we have to change the Oxford dictionary also,” the CJI remarked.
The court has directed Samay Raina to deposit the Rs 10 lakh cost within two weeks. Failure to do so could invite coercive action.
