Madras HC Grants Kunal Kamra Interim Protection From Arrest, Issues Notice To Mumbai’s Khar Police

Chennai: Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, who feared arrest by the Mumbai police in connection with his controversial comedy show ‘Naya Bharat’ that riled supporters of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, got interim protection against arrest from the Madras High Court on Friday. 

The Mumbai-born Kamra, who is a resident of Villupuram district (closer to Puducherry) in north Tamil Nadu, had moved the court fearing arrest by the Mumbai Police in a FIR booked against him at the Khar Police Station on a complaint from Andheri East legislator Murji Kazi Patel. The MLA had accused him of defaming Shinde. 

Passing interim orders on his petition seeking inter-State anticipatory bail – till such time he moves the Bombay High Court for regular anticipatory bail – Justice Sunder Mohan ordered notice to the Khar Police. The notice is returnable by April 7. The judge directed Kamra to execute a bond, along with two sureties, to the satisfaction of the judicial magistrate at Vanur in Villupuram, his place of current residence.

The judge passed the order after hearing his counsel Suresh and the Government Advocate (Criminal Side) Santhosh, who represented the Auroville Police in Tamil Nadu.

Fearing arrest and harassment by the Mumbai police, stand up comedian Kunal Kamra, on Friday moved the Madras High Court, seeking inter-State anticipatory bail.

The Khar Police Station personnel in Mumbai had registered a case against him on a complaint lodged by Andheri East legislator Murji Kazi Patel. Kamra sought the bail until such time he could move the Bombay High Court to seek regular anticipatory bail. His petition is likely to be heard by Justice Sunder Mohan soon.

The Mumbai-born Kamra, who has been living in a rural habitat in Villupuram district in north Tamil Nadu since February 2021, said though in his comedy show ‘Naya Bharat’ he did not name Shinde, he was targetted by the latter’s supporters and was receiving death threats.

Referring to the controversial comedy show up, uploaded on his YouTube channel on February 23, he said exactly a month later, the venue of the show in Khar was vandalised by political activists and the legislator lodged a complaint accusing him of defaming Shinde. “It is pertinent to mention here that the disputed songs/poem narrated by the petitioner does not name anyone, leave alone the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra,” his affidavit said.

According to Kamra, the local police had served summons to his parents in Mumbai asking him to appear before them in connection with the case. The police insisted he should appear on March 30 without mentioning if he could respond to the summons through video conferencing.

Kamra said he feared physical torture by the Mumbai police and hence cannot wait until he moved the Bombay High Court – which would be on leave for some days in the first three weeks of next months – and hence he filed the petition for inter-State anticipatory bail in the Madras High Court.