Mumbai: Standup comedian Samay Raina turned a Maharashtra Cyber felicitation ceremony into a light-hearted moment as he joked about his “long-standing association” with the cyber cell.
On Wednesday, Maharashtra Cyber launched its cyber-awareness short film Digital Arrest and the 1930 Maharashtra Cyber Anthem at an event in Mumbai. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended the event along with several celebrities, including Pankaj Tripathi, Ashish Vidyarthi, Sonali Bendre, Sharad Kelkar, Javed Jaffrey, Mangesh Desai, Sunidhi Chauhan and Samay Raina.
Samay, who contributed to both the short film and the anthem, was felicitated by Chief Minister Fadnavis. However, instead of giving a formal speech, the comedian used the opportunity to joke about his previous interactions with the Maharashtra Cyber Cell.
After receiving a flower pot from the Chief Minister, Samay was seen jokingly asking for a biscuit, leaving everyone, including Fadnavis, in splits.
Speaking at the event, Samay said, “Thank you so much for the felicitation. Mera aur Maharashtra Cyber Cell ka rishta bahaut purana hai. Bahaut zyada active hai Maharashtra Cyber Cell. Wherever you are, whether in the US or India, they will catch you.”
He then brought up the cyber cell’s helpline number, 1930, and connected it to the controversy surrounding his comedy show India’s Got Latent.
“1930 is really a great number. I have actually saved it because I often get calls from there,” he joked.
Samay also quipped that this was probably the first time the Cyber Cell had woken him up in the morning to felicitate him, adding, “This is the first time the Cyber Cell has woken a comedian in the morning to felicitate someone.”
Samay later shared a video from the felicitation ceremony on Instagram. His fans described the moment as a “full circle moment”, referring to his past association with the Maharashtra Cyber Cell.
One fan commented, “This is how you turn the tables,” while another wrote, “What a full circle moment.” A third fan commented, “Downfall maybe anyway but comeback should be like this.”
Samay Raina came under the Maharashtra Cyber Cell’s scrutiny in February 2025 following a controversy surrounding India’s Got Latent. The controversy erupted after podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia made a controversial remark about parents and sex while appearing on the show.
Following the incident, multiple FIRs were filed against Samay, Ranveer Allahbadia and others associated with the show over allegations related to obscenity and sexually explicit content. Samay subsequently removed all episodes of India’s Got Latent from YouTube.
When the Maharashtra Cyber Cell initially summoned him for questioning, Samay was touring the United States and requested permission to record his statement through video conference. The request was rejected, with the cyber cell insisting that he appear in person. Multiple summons were later issued.
Samay Raina eventually appeared before Maharashtra Cyber officials in Mumbai for questioning and acknowledged his mistakes.
The comedian has also recently returned with Season 2 of India’s Got Latent, with new episodes being released on YouTube and Netflix.
