Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, embroiled in controversy over a parody song seemingly targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, failed to appear before the Mumbai Police for the third time despite being summoned to the Khar police station on April 5.
The case, stemming from a satirical performance that allegedly branded Shinde a “traitor” without explicitly naming him, has already led to vandalism by Shiv Sena activists at the recording venue and multiple FIRs against Kamra under defamation and public mischief laws.
Notably, Kunal Kamra has secured interim anticipatory bail until April 7.
The Khar police booked Kamra on a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel for allegedly making defamatory remarks against the deputy chief minister during a show.
Kamra shot a video lampooning Eknath Shinde over the split in the Shiv Sena, and party workers later ransacked the studio and the hotel in which it is located on the night of March 23.
The official said the Mumbai police asked Kamra to appear before it on April 5, issuing summons to him for the third time.
Earlier this week, a team from the Khar police visited his residence in Mahim after he skipped the second summons.
The Madras High Court has granted interim anticipatory bail to Kamra till April 7. He is a permanent resident of Tamil Nadu.
Three FIRs registered against the comedian at Nashik Rural, Jalgaon and Nashik (Nandgaon) have been transferred to Khar police station.
BookMyShow removes Kamra from its artist list
BookMyShow has delisted stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and removed all his content from its platform following a formal request by Rahool N Kanal, Yuva Sena General Secretary of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction.
Kanal, in his letter, expressed concerns that continuing to host Kamra’s shows could be perceived as endorsing divisive rhetoric, potentially disrupting public sentiment and order in Mumbai.
The move comes amidst ongoing backlash against Kamra over a satirical performance allegedly targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, which has sparked protests and legal scrutiny.
Kanal lauded BookMyShow for maintaining what he described as a “clean” platform and aligning with public values by excluding Kamra from its listings.
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