Samay Raina Fined ₹3 Lakh By Supreme Court For Violating Orders; Bench Says Comedian 'Took The Court For A Ride'

Stand-up comedian and YouTuber Samay Raina has been directed by the Supreme Court to pay a fine of ₹3 lakh after the apex court found that he failed to comply with its earlier directions in the ongoing case related to allegedly insensitive remarks about persons with disabilities. The court came down heavily on Raina, observing that he had "taken the court for a ride" by not following its orders.

The order was passed by a Bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana. Apart from Raina, four other comedians associated with the matter were also fined ₹3 lakh each for non-compliance with the court's previous directives.

The court was informed that despite earlier assurances, Samay Raina had not invited persons with disabilities to participate in his comedy platform, one of the key conditions laid down during previous hearings. Expressing its displeasure, the Bench remarked that the respondents had shown little regard for the court's directions and had failed to honour the commitments made before it.

The case stems from a petition filed by the Cure SMA Foundation, which objected to jokes and comments allegedly made on Raina's show that were considered offensive towards persons with disabilities, particularly those suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). During earlier proceedings, the Supreme Court had directed the comedians to organise awareness initiatives and involve members of the disabled community as part of corrective measures.

The Bench has now granted Samay Raina and the other respondents two weeks to either submit a compliance affidavit demonstrating that they have fulfilled the court's directions or deposit the imposed fine. The matter is expected to be taken up again after the compliance period expires.

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