Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking to quash the first information report (FIR) registered against him in Mumbai over his alleged derogatory remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Earlier, the Madras High Court had granted him interim anticipatory bail in the matter on the grounds that he was unable to approach courts in Maharashtra due to threats of physical violence against him by political party workers.
The interim order protecting him from arrest expires today.
In a stand-up show, Kamra allegedly sing a parody song making a reference to a ‘gaddar’ (traitor), which was taken to denote Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. The reference reportedly alluded to Shinde’s decision to quit the once-united Shiv Sena party led by Uddhav Thackeray and join hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Shinde’s action led to a split in the Shiv Sena, with the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena eventually rising to power in the State, through a coalition with the BJP.
Kamra was booked for offences under Sections 353(1)(b), 353(2) (public mischief) and 356(2) (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on a complaint filed by Shiv Sena legislator Muraji Patel.
Although Kamra is a resident of Villuparam in Tamil Nadu, the FIR against him was lodged in Mumbai.