Mumbai: Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has turned to the Bombay High Court, asking for the cancellation of FIRs filed against him due to jokes aimed at Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Previously, the Madras High Court had given Kamra interim protection from arrest until today, April 7. He has missed three summons from the Mumbai Police.
On April 5, Kamra officially filed a petition with the Bombay High Court to quash the FIR registered against him by the Mumbai Police. He argues that the police’s actions infringe upon his fundamental rights as guaranteed by the Constitution, including the right to freedom of speech and expression, the right to practice any profession or business, and the right to life and personal liberty.
Comedian Kunal Kamra has filed a petition to quash the FIR against him by the Mumbai Police.
Kunal Kamra has sought the quashing of FIR against him on the basis of the fundamental right of freedom of expression and right to life under articles 19 and 21 of the Indian… pic.twitter.com/0EQED6dcQL
— ANI (@ANI) April 7, 2025
According to the case status on the High Court website, the matter is set for hearing before Justices Sarang V Kotwal and Shriram M Modak on April 21. Kamra did not appear before the Mumbai Police on Saturday after being summoned for the third time related to the case. The MIDC police registered a case against Kamra on March 24, following a complaint from Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel.
The charges against him include offences under sections 353(1)(b) and 353(2) pertaining to public mischief and 356(2) for defamation according to the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). The Zero FIR was subsequently transferred to the Khar police. Patel claimed that during a stand-up comedy performance at the Habitat Studio in Unicontinental Hotel, Khar, Kamra made derogatory statements about Eknath Shinde, which he argued defamed Shinde and incited hatred between political parties, harming the sentiments of both his party and its rivals.
Last month, the Madras High Court provided Kamra with interim anticipatory bail until April 7 concerning an FIR filed in Mumbai over his purported remarks about Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Kamra approached the Madras High Court, asserting that he is a permanent resident of a northern district in Tamil Nadu and feared imminent arrest and potential physical harm if he traveled to Maharashtra.
He argued that the complaint filed against him was politically motivated and highlighted acts of vandalism that occurred following the release of a video by individuals linked to political factions, suggesting that the complaint was maliciously driven. Kamra’s comments sparked outrage among Shinde’s supporters, who vandalized the Habitat studio known for hosting stand-up comedy acts. Following the incident, the studio, located in Khar, closed down, stating that it does not oversee the content of the performances it hosts. The day after the vandalism, civic authorities demolished parts of the studio, citing violations of building regulations. However, many suspect that this action was directly linked to the controversy surrounding Kamra.
#WATCH | Mumbai: Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) workers vandalised Habitat Comedy Club in Khar after comedian Kunal Kamra’s remarks on Maharashtra DCM Eknath Shinde here sparked backlash. (23.03)
Source: Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) pic.twitter.com/L8pkt0TLM6
— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2025
Kamra made headlines last month when his comments during a performance at Mumbai’s Habitat Studio became widely circulated on social media. He delivered a parody of ‘Bholi Si Surat,’ a famous song from the Bollywood film ‘Dil To Pagal Hai,’ in which he referred to Mr. Shinde as ‘gaddar’ (traitor). This term is significant as Shinde led the revolt that fractured the Shiv Sena and ousted Uddhav Thackeray’s government in 2022. Thackeray had frequently labeled Shinde a ‘gaddar’.
Maharashtra ❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/FYaL8tnT1R
— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) March 23, 2025
