Supreme Court ‘Disturbed’ by Samay Raina Videos Mocking Disabilities; Legal Trouble Mounts
The Supreme Court on Monday expressed serious concern over videos by comedian Samay Raina allegedly mocking persons with disabilities, calling the content “disturbing” and seeking further details.
While hearing an intervention plea in an ongoing case on online content regulation, a Supreme Court bench led by Justice Surya Kant flagged videos by YouTuber Samay Raina that allegedly made fun of individuals with disabilities, including blind and cross-eyed persons and patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).
“This is a very serious issue. We are disturbed to see that,” said Justice Kant during the proceedings, which also involved petitions filed by podcasters Ranveer Allahbadia and Ashish Chanchlani.
The bench directed the applicant’s counsel to place the relevant video clips on record and initiate the process to implead Raina as a party in the matter, signalling potential future legal action.
The Cure SMA Foundation, which filed the application, highlighted instances from Raina’s videos where he allegedly mocked a two-month-old SMA patient in need of a life-saving injection worth ₹16 crore. The case had earlier reached the Supreme Court, which intervened to waive a ₹6 crore import duty, enabling treatment through crowdfunding.
The Foundation argued that Raina’s content not only made light of a life-threatening condition but contributed to a broader trend of ridiculing disabled individuals in public discourse.
“These clips are just a drop in the bucket. There is a larger culture where persons with disabilities are treated as objects of derision or pity,” the Foundation noted.
The court proceedings stemmed from a broader case related to online content moderation and the alleged offensive content on the podcast India’s Got Latent, featuring several YouTubers and influencers.
The bench, while addressing Ranveer Allahbadia’s plea for passport release, referred to the allegations made in the application and asked his counsel to review the seriousness of the content flagged. “Look at the way,” Justice Kant remarked, hinting at the court’s displeasure.
Advocate Abhinav Chandrachud, representing Allahbadia, maintained that his client had no direct links to the other individuals apart from appearing on the show.
The Maharashtra government informed the court that the investigation into Allahbadia is complete and a chargesheet will be filed shortly. However, the court noted that in Assam, another co-accused has been summoned by authorities.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was asked to confirm whether Allahbadia is still needed for the probe and to identify any other co-accused who have not yet complied with investigative procedures.
The court stated it would consider Allahbadia’s request for the release of his passport once it receives these confirmations.
Given the nature of the application against Samay Raina, the court suggested that the matter be taken up through a separate petition focused specifically on mocking disabilities. Justice Kant emphasized that the allegations deserved standalone judicial attention due to their seriousness.
The matter remains under active judicial scrutiny as the Supreme Court continues to weigh regulatory frameworks for online content creators and their accountability.
