Three more defamation cases registered against Kunal Kamra | Mumbai news
MUMBAI: The Khar police have registered three new defamation cases against comedian Kunal Kamra in connection with his satirical jab allegedly aimed at deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde during a stand-up comedy show earlier this year, which catapulted into a major political controversy after a video of the show was released on social media last week.
The new cases were originally registered in police stations across Maharashtra based on complaints filed by Shiv Sena members. They have now been transferred to the Khar police station as the venue of the stand-up show, The Habitat, falls under its jurisdiction.
“We have so far received three cases registered at other police stations. We re-registered the same as new cases at Khar police station. However, all the cases will be merged into one as all those relate to same set of allegations,” said a police officer from the Khar police station.
The three cases were registered based on the complaints of Sanjay Bhujbal, the Jalgaon city chief of the Shiv Sena; Sunil Jadhav, a hotelier and the party’s Nandgaon city chief; and Mayur Borse, the Manmad city chief of Shinde’s party. All three complainants claimed that Kamra defamed Shinde during his show.
“We have registered three new cases under sections 353 (statements conducing to public mischief) and 356 (2) (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita after the cases were transferred to us,” said the Khar police officer.
The Khar police have already sent two summons to Kamra since first registering a First Information Report (FIR) on March 24 based on Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel’s complaint. The comedian, who lives in Tamil Nadu, has been granted interim protection from arrest by the Madras high court.
Kamra didn’t directly refer to Shinde in a parody song he had sung about a “gaddar” (traitor) in Maharashtra politics. The song created a huge political controversy, as Shiv Sena workers believe it targeted Shinde, whose 2022 rebellion against then-chief minister Uddhav Thackeray led to a split in the party and the collapse of the latter’s government.
Several Shiv Sena workers vandalised The Habitat studio in Khar, where Kamra’s show was recorded earlier this year, and also held protests across the state against him. Shiv Sena lawmakers also raked up the matter during the recently concluded budget session of the state legislature.
Kamra, who lives in Auroville in Tamil Nadu, had approached the Madras high court on Friday for a transit anticipatory remand in connection with the FIR registered against him at Khar police station, claiming that he cannot approach appropriate courts in Maharashtra. Shinde’s party leaders and workers had threatened to assault him if he was seen anywhere in public. Kamra had pointed out newspaper reports in support of his contentions.
Accepting his plea, a single judge bench of justice Sunder Mohan granted him interim anticipatory bail up to April 7.
