Bombay HC shields Kunal Kamra from arrest in Shinde 'traitor' remark case

The Bombay High Court has granted stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra protection from arrest while allowing the investigation into his 'traitor' jibe at Eknath Shinde to continue

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The Bombay High Court on Friday granted stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra protection from arrest in connection with a case registered against him for calling Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde a “traitor” during a comedy show.

 

The decision was taken by a division bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and SM Modak, who admitted Kamra’s plea to quash the FIR filed at the Khar police station. While the court has allowed the police to continue their investigation, it made it clear that Kamra cannot be arrested while his petition is being heard.

 

“Investigation can continue. The petitioner [Kamra] shall not be arrested during the pendency of the petition,” the HC bench observed, as quoted by news agency PTI.

 

The 36-year-old comedian had approached the court seeking relief, expressing fear over returning to Maharashtra. In his plea, Kamra mentioned that he resides in Tamil Nadu and is facing death threats following the controversy surrounding his show.

“If during the pendency of the petition, a chargesheet is filed in the case by the police, the concerned court shall not proceed with the same,” the bench further ordered. 

 

Kamra was earlier granted interim protection from arrest when the court had reserved its order on his plea last week.

 

The case stems from a stand-up performance in Mumbai where Kamra allegedly referred to Deputy CM Shinde as a “gaddar” (traitor). During the show, he sang a parody of a song from the film Dil To Pagal Hai, in which he used the word "gaddar" while referencing Shinde’s political rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray in 2022, which led to a split in the Shiv Sena.

 

Following the show, workers from Shinde’s faction of the Shiv Sena allegedly vandalised the studio where the performance had been recorded.

 

In his petition, Kamra maintained that even if all the allegations are taken at face value, they do not amount to any criminal offence. He also urged the court to protect him from any coercive measures, including arrest, seizure of his digital devices, or scrutiny of his financial records.

 

(With inputs from PTI)