New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has quashed all First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against stand-up comedian and YouTuber Samay Raina alongside four other comedians over allegations of making insensitive remarks regarding persons with disabilities during the show India’s Got Latent. The decision effectively closes the criminal proceedings arising from the controversy. The other comedians granted relief under the order include Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar (alias Sonali Aditya Desai), and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar. In its ruling, the apex court acknowledged the positive steps and special benefit shows organized by the artists to support individuals with disabilities and rare genetic disorders.
The controversy originated from comedy routines on India’s Got Latent that were criticized as derogatory toward persons living with rare conditions, such as Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The matter escalated to the apex court after advocacy group Cure SMA India Foundation approached the judiciary seeking stronger protections for the dignity of disabled communities in digital entertainment. Throughout the prolonged legal proceedings, the Supreme Court emphasized that constitutional freedom of speech must remain aligned with individual dignity, previously ordering the comedians to air unconditional apologies, feature disabled creators, and leverage their digital reach to raise funds for rare disease treatments.
The closure of the FIRs marks a significant development following a series of strict judicial observations over the past year. In July 2026, a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant had imposed a cost of Rs 3 lakh on Raina, alongside creators Ranveer Allahbadia and Ashish Chanchlani, after flagging issues of non-compliance with court undertakings. With the formal dismissal of the criminal complaints, the legal proceedings against the five comedians have concluded, while sparking broader ongoing discussions regarding content moderation, disability rights, and creator accountability across digital platforms.
