The Supreme Court has fined comedian Samay Raina and four other stand-up comedians Rs 3 lakh each for not complying with undertakings related to jokes about spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients. The court, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, found Raina in violation of statements made to the court. The comedians failed to engage with the Cure SMA Foundation and SMA patients as directed by the court.
Recording its displeasure, the court noted Raina’s attempt to justify the delay with a compliance affidavit that was not on record. The court directed Raina to pay the fine within two weeks and file a compliance affidavit within 15 days. Failure to comply may result in coercive action.
Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, representing the Cure SMA Foundation of India, stated that Raina did not contact the Foundation or SMA patients despite court directions. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta objected to the term “disabled persons” in the comedians’ affidavits, suggesting “specially abled persons” as appropriate. The court initially proposed a Rs 10 lakh fine, later reducing it to Rs 3 lakh for each comedian.
The case originated from objections raised by the Cure SMA Foundation regarding insensitive jokes about SMA patients, including a two-month-old infant needing a costly injection. Last year, the court had instructed Raina and the comedians to issue public apologies on social media for their offensive remarks. The comedians had also pledged to organize fundraising events for SMA treatment.
