Mumbai: The Mumbai police Monday registered an FIR against stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra for allegedly making defamatory remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a show, an official said.
Sunday night, Shiv Sena members damaged the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, where Kamra’s show with “gaddar” (traitor) jibe at Shinde was filmed, as well as a hotel in whose premises the club is located.
The Habitat, where Kamra’s show was held, is the same venue where the controversial ‘India’s Got Latent’ show had been filmed.
After a video went viral showing Kamra allegedly using defamatory words against Shinde, Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel lodged a police complaint.
Based on the complaint, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered in the early hours of Monday against Kamra under various Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) actions, including 353(1)(b) (statements conducing to public mischief) and 356(2) (defamation), an official from MIDC police station said.
In the nearly 2-minute video, Kamra also mocked the ruling NCP and Shiv Sena, the official said, adding an investigation was underway.
Earlier, a large number of Shiv Sena workers Sunday night gathered outside Hotel Unicontinental, where the club is located. They ransacked the club and the hotel premises.
The video of Kamra’s jibe at Shinde was also posted on X by rival Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut saying “Kunal Ka Kamal”.
Kamra taunted Shinde using a modified version of a Hindi song from the film “Dil To Pagal Hai”, eliciting laughter from the audience.
Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske Sunday warned Kamra that he would be chased by the party workers throughout the country. “You will be forced to flee India,” he said in a video message.
Calling Kamra a “contract comedian”, Mhaske said he should not have stepped on the “tail of a snake (apparently referring to Shinde)”.
“Once the fangs are out, there will be dire consequences,” he warned.
The MP from Thane also alleged that the comedian had accepted money from Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and was targeting Shinde.
Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel said he would show “Kamra his level” and asked him to apologise.
Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray, however, slammed the vandalism at the show venue, calling it a “cowardly” act.
In a post on X, Thackeray said, “Mindhe’s coward gang breaks the comedy show stage where comedian @kunalkamra88 put out a song on eknath mindhe, which was 100 per cent true. Only an insecure coward would react to a song by someone.”
“By the way, law and order in the state? Another attempt to undermine the CM and Home Minister by Eknath Mindhe,” he said.
PTI
