Supreme Court quashes criminal proceedings against comedian Samay Raina, four others over disability remarks

On Friday, August 14, 2026, the Supreme Court dismissed criminal proceedings against comedian Samay Raina and four others for remarks about people with disabilities. The court commended their efforts in raising awareness and promoting dignity for individuals with disabilities. The five individuals, including Raina, Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar, and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar, had faced FIRs and criminal proceedings.

The court appreciated their organization of a chess tournament in March for disabled persons and their support for organizations helping those with rare diseases such as Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The bench, consisting of Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, noted that genuine efforts would lead to positive results.

The court was hearing a plea filed by the SMA Cure Foundation, which works for individuals affected by rare SMA disease. The foundation had flagged the comments made by the influencers during their participation in "India's Got Latent," a show hosted by Raina. Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, representing the foundation, stated that the influencers had made genuine efforts and engaged with the foundation.

The matter was closed after the court's strong stand. The Supreme Court also expressed interest in addressing the broader issue of issuing comprehensive directions to protect disabled persons' dignity. The court had interacted with a delegation of 20 people with disabilities on Thursday, August 13, 2026, which included paralympian Nidhi Mishra and others.

The bench observed that the influencers had engaged in productive conversations with the foundation and were willing to invite persons with SMA on their shows. They had also announced more fundraising shows.