Samay Raina finally appears before cyber cell, expresses 'deep regret'
What's the story
Stand-up comedian Samay Raina has apologized for his role in the controversial episode of India's Got Latent (IGL).
The episode, which saw Ranveer Allahbadia passing an inappropriate remark, has been heavily criticized for its "obscene" nature.
Raina, who was on an international comedy tour amid the controversy, canceled his India shows and appeared before Maharashtra Cyber Cell in Mumbai on Monday.
Apology
'It happened in the flow of the show'
Raina, who had skipped two earlier summons, finally turned up after receiving a third one.
In his statement, he said he felt "deep regret" for his remarks on the show.
"I feel deep regret for what I said. It happened in the flow of the show, and I had no intention of saying it. I realize that what I said was wrong," he said.
Statement recording
Raina's request for videoconferencing was denied
Raina had earlier asked to record his statement through videoconferencing considering his international tour. However, the Maharashtra Cyber Cell rejected the plea and demanded his presence for legal formalities.
After the controversy, Raina deleted all IGL videos from his channel and said, "Everything that is happening has been too much for me to handle."
"My only objective was to make people laugh and have a good time. I will fully cooperate with all agencies."
Fellow artists
Other artists involved in 'IGL' controversy also questioned
Other artists connected to the controversial IGL episode, such as Allahbadia, Ashish Chanchlani, and Apoorva Mukhija, were also called in for questioning by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell.
Several FIRs and cases have been filed against the judges and panelists of the show.
Amid the row, Raina canceled his India tour and wrote on Instagram, "Hello guys, I am rescheduling my India tour. You all will get the refunds shortly, see you soon."