GUWAHATI: The Supreme Court on Friday quashed all FIRs registered against comedian Samay Raina and four others over controversial and insensitive remarks concerning persons with disabilities made on the stand-up comedy show India’s Got Latent.
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The other four are comedians Vipul Goyal, Balraj Ghai, Sonali Thakkar and Nishant Tanwar.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice J.V. Mohana noted that Raina and the other comedians had complied with the court’s directions and made efforts to spread awareness about treating persons with disabilities with dignity.
The court had last month imposed a fine of ₹3 lakh on the comedians for failing to comply with its directions.
While quashing the FIRs, the Supreme Court said it would continue hearing the matter on the broader issues surrounding such content. The court will also consider suggestions from persons with disabilities on measures that could be adopted to ensure better checks on content that may be insensitive or discriminatory.
The controversial episode of India’s Got Latent, which is at the centre of the case, was recorded on November 14, 2024, but was broadcast later.
Several people associated with the comedy show had faced criminal cases following allegations of making obscene and insensitive remarks. The matter eventually reached the Supreme Court, which is examining wider concerns related to such content and the need for safeguards.