Several Mumbai Police officers visited comedian Kunal Kamra’s home in the city after he failed to appear for questioning in connection with his jokes on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Kunal Kamra, who recently sparked a huge controversy after his stand-up at Mumbai’s Habitat Studio in Khar, is a resident of Tamil Nadu.
Police had earlier sent two summonses to Kamra after registering an FIR on March 24 based on a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel. Three separate cases have been filed against the comedian at Khar police station. One complaint was lodged by the Mayor of Jalgaon city, while the other two were filed by a hotelier and a businessman from Nashik.
Kunal Kamra used a parody version of a song from the 1997 film Dil Toh Pagal Hai targeting Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The act drew backlash, with Shiv Sena workers vandalising the venue. Days later, the BMC began demolishing parts of the Habitat studio. Kamra asserted that it was not against law to make fun of leaders. Your inability to take a joke at the expense of a powerful public figure does not change the nature of my right.
Madras High Court on Friday granted interim anticipatory bail to Kamra in connection with the FIRs. “The bail is granted with conditions and will remain in effect until April 7,” Justice Sunder Mohan said. Kamra had approached the court seeking transit anticipatory bail. He cited multiple threats received after his recent satirical comments.
