In the first FIR filed against him, comedian Kunal Kamra has obtained interim anticipatory release from the Madras High Court. Kamra may get new summons from the Mumbai police.
In Maharashtra, comedian Kunal Kamra has had three more FIRs filed for supposedly insulting Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Kamra has drawn criticism for his ‘gaddar (traitor)’ insult at Shinde.
Registered in various areas of Maharashtra, the new cases were moved to Khar police station on Friday for more enquiry.
Already looking into a criminal defamation case against Kamra for his comment against Shinde, the Khar police station has sent two summonses for Kamra to participate in the enquiry. Kamra had asked for a week; the cops turned down his plea.
The Madras High Court granted the comedian temporary anticipatory relief until April 7 on Friday.
Shiv Sena members also filed three further FIRs: Mayur Borse from Manmad, Nashik; Sanjay Bhujbal from Jalgaon Jamod, Buldhana; and Sunil Jadhav from Nandgaon Manmad, Nashik.
The party members have claimed in the FIRs that Kamra “defamed the moral conduct” of Shinde, even if he was the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra. “Derogatory comments also helped him to foster animosity between the two political parties,” the FIRs claimed.
A police officer stated the new FIRs had also been filed under many Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita laws, including 353(1)(b), 353(2) (statements conducing to public mischief), and 356(2) (defamation).
The Mumbai police might soon send new summons to Kamra in the new charges as he has obtained relief from the Madras High Court in the first one.
Kamra’s stand-up comedy performance named “Naya Bharat” in February at Habitat Studio in Hotel Unicontinental in Khar sparked controversy following its video upload on YouTube last Saturday.
On his YouTube site and social media, Kamra posted a clip from the performance. Shiv Sena employees destroyed the studio following viral popularity of the video clip. The police then filed a suo motu case against the Sena workers and later detained 12 of them. Later, on bail, they were freed.
Kamra has said in social media posts that he will not apologise for his comments. He later posted further videos on his social media channels lambasting ministers and the government.
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