Samay Raina, Ranveer Allahbadia get relief, Supreme Court quashes all FIRs for their comments on ‘India’s Got Latent’, imposes fine of Rs 3 lakh each

The Supreme Court has brought a significant turn to the controversy surrounding Samay Raina, Ranveer Allahbadia and others over the contentious remarks made on the show ‘India’s Got Latent’. On Friday, the court quashed all FIRs registered against them in connection with remarks concerning persons with disabilities, according to Bar and Bench.The legal controversy dates back to an episode of Raina’s show in which Allahbadia made remarks that triggered widespread outrage. The comments were described as obscene and offensive, leading to several complaints and FIRs being filed in different states. The allegations included promoting obscenity and using indecent language.Allahbadia subsequently moved the Supreme Court, seeking the consolidation of the multiple FIRs and protection against coercive action. During the hearings, the court expressed strong disapproval of his comments and made it clear that the constitutional guarantee of free speech could not be treated as unrestricted permission to use language that crossed accepted societal boundaries.The court nevertheless granted Allahbadia interim protection and also permitted him to approach the authorities for police security after he reportedly received death threats.The proceedings took another turn in March 2025 after Raina spoke about the controversy during a show in Canada. On March 3, the Supreme Court reprimanded the comedian and cautioned him against making public comments about the ongoing proceedings or treating the court casually.“These youngsters may think that we are outdated, but we know how to deal with them.Don’t take the court lightly,” Justice Surya Kant said during the hearing.The observation came after Raina made a remark to his Canadian audience at the conclusion of his performance: “Thanks for paying my lawyer’s fees.”A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh also considered Allahbadia’s plea seeking permission to restart his podcast, ‘The Ranveer Show’. The court allowed him to resume the podcast, while underlining the importance of maintaining a balance between freedom of expression and morality.During the proceedings, Allahbadia submitted that the podcast was his sole source of livelihood and that nearly 280 people associated with the production depended on it for their employment. The Supreme Court subsequently extended his interim protection from arrest and directed him to cooperate with the investigation in Guwahati.The matter resurfaced before the apex court on July 14, 2026, when the bench expressed displeasure over the alleged failure of Raina, Allahbadia and the other respondents to comply with its previous directions. The court referred to Raina and Allahbadia as “self-styled youth icons” and raised concerns over their alleged non-compliance with its orders.The court also imposed a fine of Rs 3 lakh each on Raina and the other respondents, giving them two weeks to submit affidavits confirming compliance.With Friday’s order, the Supreme Court has now brought the criminal proceedings arising from the controversial episode to a close by quashing the FIRs against Raina, Allahbadia and the others.