The Bombay High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Mumbai Police and Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel over a plea filed by comedian Kunal Kamra, who is seeking the quashing of an FIR filed against him for allegedly calling Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde a “traitor” during a stand-up performance.
A division bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and S M Modak has directed the respondents to file their replies and listed the matter for hearing on April 16, 2025.
The FIR was filed by Khar Police following a complaint from Murji Patel, citing a segment of Kamra’s comedy show—scripted in July 2024 and performed between August 2024 and February 2025—as defamatory and inciting. The show was uploaded online in March 2025, after which the complaint was lodged.
Kamra, who has not appeared in person for questioning despite receiving three police summons, has sought protection from arrest and coercive action, stating that his life and safety are at risk. His counsel, senior advocate Navroz Seervai, told the court that Kamra has been living in Tamil Nadu since 2021 and has offered to cooperate via video conference.
The petition argues that the FIR is a violation of Kamra’s fundamental rights, especially his freedom of speech and expression under Article 19 of the Constitution. It also challenges the FIR as a misuse of criminal law in response to satirical commentary on political events, specifically referring to the 2022 Shiv Sena split and Eknath Shinde’s rebellion.
“The FIR stems from a stand-up comedy show and provides satirical commentary on social and political developments in the country,” said Seervai. “The use of the criminal justice machinery in this case represents a gross abuse of process and an infringement on fundamental rights.”
Kamra has already been granted interim transit anticipatory bail by the Madras High Court, which is valid until April 17. His legal team is now asking the Bombay High Court to prevent any arrest or seizure of his devices until the final hearing.
