The Supreme Court on Tuesday imposed a Rs 3 lakh cost on comedian Samay Raina, observing that he had “taken the court for a ride” by not complying with an undertaking he had given in a case pertaining to allegedly insensitive jokes about persons with disabilities made on his show India’s Got Latent, Live Law reported.

Costs of the same amount were also imposed on four other comedians – Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Nishant Jagadish Tanwar, Sonali Thakkar and Vipul Goyal.

The order was passed after a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was informed that Raina had not invited any persons with disabilities to his show, which was among the court’s directions in the matter, Bar and Bench reported.

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“We have reason to believe that Samay Raina has taken the court for a ride and has brazenly violated the orders of this court,” the bench was quoted as having observed.

In November, the court had directed the comedians to, as an act of reparation, conduct special shows to highlight the success stories of persons with disabilities. The Supreme Court had also asked them to raise funds for the treatment of persons with disabilities, especially those with Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

The directions had been issued in a petition filed by Cure SMA Foundation seeking guidelines against jokes that violate the dignity of persons with disabilities.

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The petition was prompted by a joke allegedly made by Raina about a child with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. The comedians had earlier appeared before the Court and were directed to publish public apologies on their platforms.

On Tuesday, advocate Aparajita Singh, representing the petitioner, claimed in court that Raina had not contacted the organisation or any person with disabilities to be a part of his shows, Bar and Bench reported.

Edited by Neerad Pandharipande.