Chennai: The Madras High Court Monday extended interim protection from arrest to noted stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra until April 17.
The protection relates to a case filed by Mumbai’s Khar police, alleging that Kamra made defamatory remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during his recent comedy act titled Naya Bharat.
The order was pronounced by a bench of Justice Sunder Mohan following submissions by advocate V. Suresh, who appeared for Kamra, along with junior counsel S. Tanvi.
The counsel informed the court that they had served a private notice on the Khar police in accordance with the court’s earlier directive dated March 28, when interim anticipatory bail was initially granted.
The judge directed the Registry to verify whether the official court notice had also been served to the Mumbai police and to ensure the case is listed April 17 with the Khar police named in the cause list if notice service is confirmed.
Advocate Suresh informed the court that following the grant of interstate interim anticipatory bail, the Khar police registered three additional cases against Kamra. He further alleged that the police visited the comedian’s family residence in Mumbai, disturbing his elderly parents, despite Kamra having relocated to the Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu in 2021.
The police had also summoned audience members who attended the ‘Naya Bharat’ show for questioning.
However, the court refrained from delving into the merits of the case.
Justice Mohan noted that the relief granted was only temporary and aimed at enabling Kamra to approach the Bombay High Court for a regular anticipatory bail.
On being asked whether steps had been taken in that direction, Kamra’s counsel confirmed that a petition had indeed been filed before the Bombay High Court. In view of this, the judge extended the interim protection until the next date of hearing and reiterated that the relief granted March 28 would remain in force until April 17.
Kamra, 36, had submitted in his petition that although he was born and raised in Mumbai, he moved to rural Tamil Nadu in February 2021, seeking a quieter lifestyle in the Villupuram district. As a traveling performer, he continues to visit various cities for his shows, including Mumbai, where he staged ‘Naya Bharat’ in February this year.
According to the petition, a video of the comedy show was uploaded to Kamra’s official YouTube channel February 23, 2025. Following this, political activists allegedly vandalised the venue where the show had been performed in Mumbai’s Khar.
On the same day, a local Member of the Legislative Assembly filed a police complaint, accusing Kamra of defaming Deputy Chief Minister Shinde through offensive remarks. Kamra’s petition contends that the controversial segment – comprising songs and poems – did not explicitly name or refer to any individual, including the Deputy Chief Minister. Nevertheless, an FIR was swiftly registered against him, and he was summoned for questioning March 23.
In light of what he described as undue police action, Kamra sought inter-state anticipatory bail from the Madras High Court as an interim safeguard, pending his petition for regular advance bail before the Bombay High Court.
With the matter now scheduled for April 17, all eyes are on how the Bombay High Court will respond to Kamra’s plea for permanent relief in what has become a case that straddles free speech, satire, and political sensitivities.
IANS
