New Delhi, Jul 14: The Supreme Court on Tuesday came down heavily on comedian Samay Raina, stating that he had “taken the court for a ride” by making false statements and failing to honour assurances given earlier.

The bench imposed a fine of ₹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. The court warned that the penalty could be enhanced if they failed to comply.

During the hearing, amicus curiae Aparajita Singh criticised Raina’s conduct, remarking: “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.”

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Chief Justice of India Surya Kant also expressed displeasure over Raina’s delayed response, reportedly remarking: “Throw it away,” while questioning why such a reply had been filed after so much time.

The case stems from petitions filed by content creators Ranveer Allahbadia and Ashish Chanchlani, along with the Cure SMA Foundation, over remarks mocking visually impaired people during the first season of India’s Got Latent.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice JV Mohana, noted that Raina’s conduct did not match the commitments placed on record.

The court directed the comedians to issue public apologies, file compliance affidavits, and organise two special comedy shows every month to raise funds for children suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).

The Chief Justice cautioned that non-compliance could lead to a steep increase in fines: “One more zero can be added,” he said, indicating that the penalty could rise to ₹30 lakh each.

The controversy dates back to 2025, when two episodes of India’s Got Latent featured remarks targeting persons with disabilities, including SMA patients and visually impaired individuals. The backlash prompted the Supreme Court to summon the comedians and demand public apologies.

Earlier, in October 2025, Raina and his colleagues had issued a joint statement expressing regret: “We deeply regret the pain caused by our show. Going forward, we will be more mindful and do our best to raise awareness about the challenges faced by the community.”

The Chief Justice also urged Parliament to consider stronger legal safeguards against disability-based ridicule, suggesting a law similar to the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to make derogatory jokes targeting persons with disabilities a punishable offence.