SC raps Samay Raina, Ranveer Allahbadia

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday came down heavily on comedian Samay Raina and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia for failing to comply with its earlier directions in the India’s Got Latent controversy case.The top court said Samay had “taken the court for a ride” and described both Samay and Ranveer as “self-styled youth icons”, expressing serious concern over their alleged non-compliance, news agency PTI reported.It also imposed a fine of Rs 3 lakh each on Samay and the other respondents for failing to comply with its earlier directions. The apex court granted them two weeks to file a compliance affidavit.“We have no reason to doubt that Samay Raina has taken the court for a ride. He is in brazen violation of statements/ undertakings given before this court,” PTI quoted the court saying.The CJI observed that they appeared to believe that being outside the country placed them beyond the court’s jurisdiction. “Let them suffer now. If this is not arrogance, then we have to change the Oxford dictionary also,” the CJI observed.The controversy erupted after influencer and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia appeared on comedian Samay Raina’s YouTube show India’s Got Latent and made remarks widely criticised as “obscene and offensive”.The comments sparked public outrage, leading to multiple FIRs being registered against Allahbadia across states for allegedly promoting obscenity and using indecent language.Allahbadia subsequently moved the Supreme Court seeking the consolidation of the FIRs and protection from coercive action.

During the hearing, the apex court strongly criticised his remarks, observing that freedom of speech does not give anyone a licence to use language that violates societal norms, while also granting him interim protection and allowing him to seek police security in view of reported death threats.