The Supreme Court on Friday quashed the FIRs and consequential proceedings against comedian Samay Raina and fellow content creators Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakar alias Sonali Aditya Desai and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar in connection with the controversial remarks made on the YouTube show India’s Got Latent, after noting the respondents’ efforts to engage with the petitioner NGO and undertake initiatives to raise awareness and support for persons suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).
A Bench comprising CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana was hearing the connected petitions arising from the controversy over objectionable remarks made during India’s Got Latent episode, including mocking of persons suffering from rare genetic conditions like Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).
Counsel informed the Bench that following the Court’s earlier directions, genuine efforts had been made by the parties to engage with each other and that discussions were underway to develop further initiatives. The Court welcomed the progress, with CJI Surya Kant observing:
“
“We are quite sure that once there are genuine efforts the positive results are bound to be there. It will have a very positive impact.”
The Court recorded the respondents’ submission that they had organised a chess tournament for persons with disabilities from March 14 to 16, 2026, which received widespread media coverage and helped create awareness about organisations working for persons with disabilities, including SMA. The event also generated donations for organisations working for persons with disabilities.
The respondents submitted that they had also scheduled four additional shows for fundraising. However, logistical difficulties prevented them from making specific arrangements to invite persons with disabilities to those events. They have now expressed willingness to invite persons suffering from SMA and provide financial support.
The Court also noted the progress made through the constructive dialogue between the respondents and the Cure SMA Foundation regarding programmes aimed at spreading awareness about SMA and celebrating the lives and achievements of persons living with the condition.
The Court consequently quashed the FIRs registered against Respondents and set aside all consequential proceedings, while noting that the petitioner NGO had agreed to accept the amount deposited by the respondents for utilisation towards one of its causes.
At the same time, the Bench made clear that the order should not be read as an endorsement of the remarks that gave rise to the proceedings, and that it kept the writ petition pending on the larger public-interest question of guidelines and safeguards against online content that may humiliate or demean persons with disabilities, indicating it would call for suggestions from persons with disabilities and the petitioner organisation before issuing comprehensive directions on the subject.
The Cure SMA petition arose from a writ filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, registered as W.P. (C) No. 460 of 2025, over allegedly insensitive remarks concerning persons with disabilities made during the India’s Got Latent episode recorded at Khar Habitat on November 14, 2024. Samay Raina was arrayed as Respondent No. 6 along with the other comedians. The Supreme Court took up the matter in 2025, and as the proceedings progressed, its focus expanded from the specific remarks to broader concerns of dignity, awareness and the treatment of persons with disabilities in public and online content, with the respondents directed to undertake measures aimed at creating awareness and supporting persons affected by disabilities and rare diseases. At a hearing in July 2026, the Court expressed concern over the respondents’ compliance with these directions and imposed costs of Rs 3 lakh each on them, observing that the conduct amounted to taking the Court “for a ride.” Advocate Anil Kumar Mishra appeared on the respondents’ side through this compliance phase — Supreme Court office reports record him as Advocate-on-Record for Raina, having filed Raina’s counter-affidavit in August 2025 and an affidavit of compliance on March 9, 2026 — and continued to be shown among counsel for the respondents as late as the July 14, 2026 hearing at which costs were imposed, before Raina was represented at the concluding August 14 hearing by Senior Advocate Madhvi Diwan along with Abhay Pratap Singh, AOR, and other counsel.