'Serious issue,' Supreme Court to examine ridiculing of disabled by 'India's Got Latent' host Samay Raina

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday decided to consider a plea alleging 'India's Got Latent' host Samay Raina ridiculed the disabled, including a person with visual disability and those suffering from a rare disorder like Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).

"This is a serious issue. You file a writ petition. We will see what can be done. In writ jurisdiction, we have a larger scope," a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh told senior advocate Aprajita Singh, appearing for NGO Cure SMA Foundation of India.

The bench asked Singh to file a proper petition instead of an interim intervention plea in the pending matter of influencer and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia. The NGO drew the court's attention on remarks made by Raina.

The bench said it was really disturbed by it, and told the NGO's counsel, "We would like (you) to place on record the instances also. If you have video-clippings along with a transcript, bring them. Implead the concerned persons. Also suggest measures, which according to you...Then we will see...".

The NGO contended that it was essential to maintain the highest degree of sensitivity and compassion across the channels, however, that becomes a mammoth task when certain individuals, like the comedian, Samay Raina, host a comedy show and make insensitive commentaries on persons with such condition, the high-costing drugs and the treatment options.

It claimed that Raina's act in turn deprecated the public mindset, often resulting in perpetuating lack of receptivity towards the seriousness of the illness, or the ensuing challenges in resource management.

The NGO made it clear that it did not intend to seek a blanket restraint on all the content being aired/broadcasted qua persons with disability, and it was only concerned with derogatory, denigrating or belittling content.

The bench also noted that the probe against Allahbadia was over. The apex court said it would on April 28 hear a plea for the return of his passport in a case over his distasteful remarks during Raina's show.

On February 18, the top court protected Allahbadia from arrest in multiple FIRs filed over his comments during a YouTube show and directed him to deposit his passport with the investigating officer of Police Station Nodal Cyber Police, Thane.