Now Reading: Samay Raina honoured by Fadnavis amid cyber cell controversy
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Samay Raina honoured by Fadnavis amid cyber cell controversy
Samay Raina was felicitated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the launch of a cyber awareness short film and the 1930 Maharashtra Cyber Anthem on 27 August. A clip from the…
Samay Raina was felicitated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the launch of a cyber awareness short film and the 1930 Maharashtra Cyber Anthem on 27 August. A clip from the ceremony where Raina jokes about his long association with the Maharashtra Cyber Cell has gone viral.
Raina thanked Fadnavis and praised the 1930 helpline, adding he often gets calls from the cell before quipping, "Whether you are in the US or India, they will catch you." He noted it was the first time a cyber cell officer picked up a comedian and felicitated him.
The joke refers to the 2025 controversy over Raina's show India's Got Latent, where remarks by Ranveer Allahbadia drew flak, leading to multiple FIRs against Raina, Allahbadia and others. Raina later apologised and removed all episodes from YouTube. Ashish Vidyarthi, Pankaj Tripathi and Sonali Bendre also attended the event.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The 2025 India's Got Latent controversy triggered multiple FIRs under the IT Act and IPC provisions, including Section 67A for obscenity online. Samay Raina removed all episodes and issued an apology, but no charges were dropped. A chief minister honouring a person under active investigation is unusual and signals state-level pragmatism: the short film and anthem serve Maharashtra Cyber's public outreach. The event reframes Raina from accused to endorser, giving the department a relatable face. What remains unresolved is the legal status of the pending FIRs against him and other panellists. The police will have to clarify whether the felicitation affects their standing.
Source: cinemaexpress.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
