The Bombay High Court on Friday granted comedian Kunal Kamra continued protection from arrest in connection with a case filed against him for a satirical performance that allegedly targeted Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The case was registered in Mumbai following a video posted by Kamra on March 23.
A bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and SM Modak stated that while the investigation will proceed, any questioning of Kamra must be conducted in Chennai, where he is a permanent resident. The court directed the Mumbai Police to coordinate with local Tamil Nadu authorities and provide Kamra reasonable notice before recording his statement.
“If the investigating agency wants to record the petitioner’s statement, the same can be recorded in Chennai with the help of local police,” the bench said, as reported by The Indian Express.
The High Court also ruled that in the event a chargesheet is filed, the trial court cannot proceed with legal action until the High Court decides on Kamra’s petition seeking to quash the FIR.
Background of the Case
On March 23, Kamra uploaded a satirical performance on his YouTube channel, where he parodied a Hindi film song and indirectly referred to Shinde as a “traitor,” alluding to his 2022 rebellion against then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Although Kamra did not name Shinde directly, members of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction were quick to take offense.
That same night, Shinde supporters vandalised The Habitat, a performance venue in Mumbai’s Khar area where the video was recorded. The next day, Mumbai Police filed an FIR against Kamra under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to defamation and public mischief.
Despite being summoned three times for questioning, Kamra has not appeared before the police.
On April 16, the Bombay High Court initially granted Kamra interim protection from arrest. Friday’s ruling extends that protection permanently until the court rules on his plea to quash the case.
Previously, the Madras High Court had also granted interim protection to Kamra till April 17, reflecting the jurisdictional complexity due to his residence in Tamil Nadu.
