The Supreme Court on Tuesday slapped a cost of ₹3 lakh on stand-up comedian Samay Raina and four others, pulling them up for brazenly defying an undertaking given to the court to show respect and sensitivity towards persons suffering from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) by featuring them on their online shows.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said, “You are now taking the court for a ride. If this is not arrogance, then we may have to change the definition of this term in the Oxford Dictionary.”
The court had in November 2025 ordered that Raina and four other people named by the SMA Cure Foundation—a body of parents of SMA-affected people—should show remorse for their mocking people with SMA on online shows.
They had volunteered to invite persons belonging to the SMA Cure Foundation to their show to raise funds for the said cause and to promote awareness of the importance of providing timely and quality treatment to people suffering from SMA.
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‘Brazen violation of the undertaking’: Court
On Tuesday, the court was informed by Raina’s counsel that the undertaking could not be complied with as they failed to get contact details of the Foundation members.
{{/usCountry}}On Tuesday, the court was informed by Raina’s counsel that the undertaking could not be complied with as they failed to get contact details of the Foundation members.
{{/usCountry}}Instead, it was suggested that some shows were conducted by bringing some people with disabilities on their show as part of the court’s direction. Finding this excuse too unreasonable, the bench said, “There is no reason to doubt that Samay Raina has not only taken this court for a ride, but he is in brazen violation of the undertaking given to this court.”
Pointing out to Raina’s lawyer that the information about the Foundation could be obtained from their lawyer, the bench said, “The affidavit be filed in two weeks subject to payment of cost of ₹3 lakh to be deposited with the court registry. If the cost is not deposited, coercive action shall be taken.”