Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has approached the Bombay High Court seeking the quashing of an FIR registered against him for allegedly calling Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde a ‘gaddar’ (traitor) during his comedy special Naya Bharat.
Kamra’s legal counsel argued that in view of the interim protection granted by the Madras High Court, the comedian had offered to provide his statement via video conferencing on multiple occasions due to safety concerns. However, authorities have continued to demand his physical presence.
Filed on April 5, Kamra’s petition challenges the FIR on constitutional grounds, asserting that it violates his fundamental rights under Articles 19 (freedom of speech and expression) and 21 (right to life and personal liberty) of the Constitution. A division bench comprising Justice SV Kotwal and Justice SM Modak is hearing the case.
Following initial proceedings, the court granted Kamra interim protection until April 16 and issued notices to the Maharashtra government and Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel, who had filed the complaint, directing them to respond. Speaking on behalf of Kamra, his counsel stated “On no less than three occasions, we have offered to cooperate on video conferencing. This is not some murder case, it’s a comedy show. If at all, they intend to file an affidavit, they must serve notice before April 16.”
Kamra’s legal team emphasized that his satirical act falls under protected speech and should not be criminalized.
BookMyShow Responds After Delisting Concerns
Amid growing controversy, ticketing platform BookMyShow issued a statement on Monday clarifying its neutral role in the ticketing process. The platform stated it operates “in compliance with applicable Indian laws” and only facilitates ticket sales.
This clarification came after Kamra publicly requested the platform not to delist him or, alternatively, to share access to the audience data he had generated through its service.
Earlier, on April 2, Yuva Sena General Secretary Rahool N Kanal had written to BookMyShow urging the platform to halt ticket sales for Kamra’s upcoming shows, citing concerns over his allegedly provocative content and its possible effect on public sentiment.
Continued Protection from Arrest
The Madras High Court has extended interim protection from arrest for Kamra until April 17. He had earlier approached the court for transit anticipatory bail, citing threats following his performance at Mumbai’s Habitat Studio.
During the show, Kamra had sung a parody of the Bollywood hit Bholi Si Surat, allegedly mocking Eknath Shinde. The performance led to several FIRs being lodged against him and prompted members of the Yuva Sena to vandalize the comedy venue.
Despite facing backlash, Kamra has refused to apologise but has expressed willingness to cooperate with authorities.
