Kunal Kamra joke row: The Mumbai Police have reportedly decided to reject the comedian’s request for a week’s extension to appear before the authorities. Kunal Kamra’s lawyer submitted the appeal and the reply in the Khar Police Station, which have been turned down by the police.
According to a report in ANI, the Khar Police will issue a second summons to Kunal Kamra today. The police had earlier sent him a summons, asking him to appear before the police on Tuesday.
A case was filed against the comedian for his remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. "We have issued an initial notice to Kamra as a probe has commenced into the case against him," an official said earlier.
The 36-year-old comedian has stirred a controversy by taking a jibe at Shiv Sena leader Shinde's political career during his performance. Kamra performed a parody of a popular Hindi song from the 1997 film ‘Dil Toh Pagal Hai’, referring to Shinde – without naming him – as a "gaddar" (traitor).
He also made jokes about recent political developments in Maharashtra, including the Shiv Sena split in 2022 and the NCP in 2023. Following the show, Shiv Sena members, on Sunday, vandalised the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai's Khar area, where Kamra's show was held, as well as the hotel where the venue is located. Based on a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel, the Khar police registered an FIR against Kamra for making defamatory remarks against Shinde.
The police have also registered a case against 40 workers of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena for vandalising the comedian's show venue. On Monday, the police arrested Shiv Sena functionary Rahul Kanal and 11 others for ransacking the venue. A local court granted them bail the same day.