Samay Raina: Comedian Samay Raina has suffered a major setback from the Supreme Court. The Court has imposed a fine of ₹3 lakh on him in connection with the ‘India Got Latent’ controversy. Reprimanding Raina severely for violating court directives, the Court remarked that he had been taking the Court for a ride. The Court further observed that it was unclear what kind of “youth icon” he was, adding that the thought itself was concerning.
Hearing by the Bench
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana heard the matter. The Supreme Court directed that the fine amount be deposited within two weeks. During the hearing, Senior Advocate Aparajita Singh stated that despite the Court’s earlier order, Samay Raina had not contacted the SMA Foundation or individuals suffering from the disease, even while continuing to perform his shows.
‘What kind of youth icon is this?’
Reacting to this, the bench remarked, “We do not know what kind of youth icon he is; it is worrying to think about it.” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also commented that the youth have better icons than him. The Court had initially imposed a hefty fine of ₹10 lakh on Samay Raina; however, following a request from his counsel, it was reduced to ₹3 lakh. The Supreme Court questioned what steps Samay Raina and other comedians had taken so far to improve their conduct. During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta raised the issue of Samay Raina’s recent comments and conduct before the Court, stating that the Court should take note of these statements as well.
What was the Cure Foundation’s argument?
Meanwhile, Senior Advocate Aparajita Singh, representing the Cure SMA Foundation, stated that Samay Raina had not contacted the organization despite the Court’s directive. She pointed out that although claims were made regarding events organized for differently-abled individuals, no contact had been established with the Cure SMA Foundation as mandated by the Court’s order. The Cure SMA Foundation also stated that there has been a lack of a genuine and clear apology from Raina so far.
