 "Kunal Kamra offers to fund banker's trip after police summons on Shinde row")
A banker from Navi Mumbai was reportedly forced to cut short his trip to Tamil Nadu and Kerala after Mumbai Police summoned him as a witness in a defamation case against comedian Kunal Kamra. In response, Kamra has apologised and offered to cover the cost of the banker’s next vacation.
In a post on X, Kamra wrote, “I am deeply sorry for the inconvenience that attending my show has caused you. Please email me so that I can schedule your next vacation anywhere you’d like in India.”
Mumbai Police summons banker
According to a Times of India report, the banker, a resident of Kharghar, had been on a 17-day trip scheduled to end on April 6. However, he returned to Mumbai on March 28 after repeated calls from the police. The following day, he received a WhatsApp notice under Section 179 of the CrPC, instructing him to appear for questioning on March 30.
The banker said the officer who contacted him was sceptical of his travel claims and threatened to visit his residence, prompting his early return.
“Despite my proof of online booking, the police suspected I had edited Kamra’s video. Why would the comedian hand over his show’s footage to me for editing?” he said.
The controversy
The summons follows the release of Kamra’s stand-up special 'Naya Bharat' on YouTube on March 24, which sparked backlash from members of Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. The controversy centred around a song in which Kamra allegedly referred to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as a “traitor.” In response, Shiv Sena members vandalised the venue where the show was filmed.
Three cases have been filed against Kamra, though the Madras High Court has granted him temporary protection from arrest. Police are currently recording statements from the cameraperson and other staff present during the show’s filming. They have also assured Kamra’s safety when he appears for questioning.