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Comedian Kunal Kamra is unlikely to appear before Mumbai police as he faces legal issues over remarks about Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.
Comedian Kunal Kamra earlier said he will not be apologising for his controversial comments about Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde. (File image: @kunakamra/X)
Controversial stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra is unlikely to appear before the Mumbai police today, according to sources, despite the third summons issued to him. On March 27, Kunal Kamra was asked to appear by Mumbai Police on March 31 for questioning, making it the third summon in the case. Kamra had previously requested an extension of seven days, according to an official from The Indian Express. This case arises from Kamra’s recent performance at the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, where he allegedly made derogatory remarks about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in a parody song.
In a separate development, Kamra was granted interim anticipatory bail by the Madras High Court until April 7 in relation to another case involving his stand-up comedy video “Naya Bharat” on YouTube. Kamra had informed the court that he had relocated to Tamil Nadu in 2021 and has been residing there since, expressing concerns about a potential arrest by the Mumbai Police. Additionally, a breach of privilege notice against Kamra has been admitted by the Maharashtra Legislative Council. As per his Instagram bio, Kamra is currently in Puducherry.
A day after the controversy ignited, Kamra also refused to apologise. Earlier, taking to X, Kamra had replied to the threats saying, “Our right to freedom of speech and expression is not only to be used to fawn over the powerful and rich even though today’s media would have us believe otherwise. Your inability to take a joke at the expense of a powerful public figure does not change the nature of my right. As far as I know, it is not against the law to poke fun at our leaders and the circus that is our political system.”
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, while reacting to Kamra’s remark had said earlier, “Freedom of speech is there and we understand satire, but there should be a limit.”
