Comedian Kunal Kamra has approached the Bombay High Court to challenge the "legality, correctness, and propriety" of the FIR filed against him for his 'gaddar' comment directed at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during his stand-up show Naya Bharat. Kamra sought the cancellation of the FIR, which was lodged against him at the Khar Police Station on March 24.
Kamra's petition comes after he was served with a third summons by the Mumbai Police on April 2, following two earlier summonses, both of which he had skipped. Kamra requested that his statement be recorded via video conferencing, citing a "real threat" to his life. His petition argued that the police’s insistence on his physical presence for questioning, despite the threats, was unreasonable.
The petition was mentioned before a bench of Justices Sarang V. Kotwal and S.M. Modak, with Kamra's advocates, Navroz Seervai and Ashwin Thool, seeking an early hearing. They also pointed out that a team from Khar Police was allegedly in Pondicherry, where Kamra resides, further complicating his situation.
Kamra’s plea also sought a stay on the investigation and no coercive action against him. Seervai highlighted that summons had been served late at night, despite Kamra not residing with his elderly parents. The court, while agreeing to hear the matter on Tuesday, suggested that Kamra may consider filing a re-arrest bail plea.
The FIR against Kamra was filed based on a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel, who alleged that Kamra made derogatory remarks about Shinde’s moral conduct during his show, creating public mischief and defamation. Kamra’s petition questioned the credibility of the complainant, noting Patel’s involvement in multiple FIRs, including charges related to cheating and falsifying caste certificates.
Kamra, who resides in Tamil Nadu, also criticized the police’s summons as a waste of public resources, given his long absence from Mumbai.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)