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Kunal Kamra
The breach of privilege proceedings against stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra over his parody song targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will begin soon, a senior official said on Saturday. BJP legislator Pravin Darekar had moved the notice against the comedian and Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare in the state legislative council during the budget session in March. Legislature secretary Jitendra Bhole said, "Legislative council chairperson Ram Shinde has forwarded the notice to the privilege committee headed by BJP MLC Prasad Lad." When contacted, Lad told PTI that the committee headed by him met to discuss the breach of privilege notice, and he had initiated the process of issuing notice to Kamra and Andhare. In March, Kamra, known for his no-holds-barred stand-up comedy at the expense of politicians and celebrities, incurred the wrath of Shinde's supporters in March with a song targeting the Shiv Sena president.
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday said the Maharashtra government has not taken vindictive action against any person for re-sharing or re-uploading stand-up comic Kunal Kamra's video in which he indirectly passed a "traitor" jibe at Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice M S Karnik made the observation while refusing to entertain a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a 25-year-old law student questioning the government's action against Kamra and also the Mumbai hotel where the controversial comedy show was shot. The court also noted the aggrieved person (Kamra) has already filed a petition in the HC seeking to quash the FIR lodged against him at a Mumbai police station over his critical comments against Shinde, who heads the ruling Shiv Sena. "The person aggrieved is before this court. He is not poor or illiterate. Why are you (present PIL petitioner) fighting his cause? He has taken action for relief," the HC observed. The PIL,
Shiv Sena functionary Rahool Kanal on Saturday claimed BookMyShow has taken stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra off the sale and artists list from its platforms. Kanal, the social media in-charge of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, thanked BookMyShoew CEO Ashish Hemrajani for keeping its portal "clean and keeping such artist out of the list of pure entertainment". When contacted, BookMyShow team said they have no comments to offer as of now. "I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for your continued support of you team to take the said artist out of your sale and promotion listing, thank you for even taking him out of the book my show search history. Your belief in maintaining peace and at the same time respecting our emotions has been instrumental," Kanal stated in a letter to Hemrajani. He said Mumbaikars love and believe in every form of art but not personal agendas. "Your personal touch and guidance by your team were invaluable in navigating and reaching a solution. "We deeply va
Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra failed to appear before the Mumbai police on Saturday in connection with a case registered against him for allegedly passing a "traitor" jibe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, an official said. This is the third time Kamra has given police summons a miss, the official said. The Khar police booked Kamra on a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel for allegedly making defamatory remarks against the deputy chief minister during a show. Kamra shot a video lampooning Shinde over the split in the Shiv Sena, and party workers later ransacked the studio and the hotel in which it is located on the night of March 23. The official said the Mumbai police asked Kamra to appear before it on April 5, issuing summons to him for the third time. Earlier this week, a team from the Khar police visited his residence in Mahim after he skipped the second summons. The Madras High Court has granted interim anticipatory bail to Kamra till April 7. He is a ..
Police on Tuesday issued a third summons to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and asked him to appear before them on April 5 in a case filed for allegedly making derogatory remarks on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at a show in Mumbai, officials said. Kamra (36) has been asked to appear before officials of the Khar Police Station in suburban Mumbai where the first FIR against him was registered last month, they said. The 36-year-old comedian was earlier summoned two times by the police, but he failed to appear before them and joined the investigation. The case stems from caustic remarks Kamra made against Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, at a show organised at a studio in the metropolis. Angered by the comments, workers of the Shiv Sena vandalised the studio late last month. The police have filed the case against Kamra under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to defamation and public mischief. The case was filed after the comedian last month posted a
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday demanded Central protection for comedian Kunal Kamra, facing flak and investigation over his jibe against Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, on the similar lines it had protected actor Kangana Ranaut in 2020. Multiple FIRs were registered against Kamra for his "traitor" jibe at Shiv Sena head and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde during a show, leading to the ransacking of a studio by Shiv Sena workers last Sunday. On Friday, the Madras High Court granted interim anticipatory bail to Kamra, against whom Mumbai Police had issued two notices seeking his personal appearance for questioning. Raut also welcomed the Supreme Court order on quashing an FIR against Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi for allegedly posting a clip of a poem advocating the protection of freedom of speech and expression. He said like Pratapgarhi, Kamra is also an artist, poet, and satirist. "Kamra should come to Mumbai to put forth his point (before the police). The Centre protecte
Mumbai police on Thursday asked stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra to appear before it on March 31 in connection with the case against him for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The case stems from Kamra's recent show at the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, where he performed a parody song targeting Eknath Shinde. The act prompted a backlash from Shiv Sena supporters, who vandalised the club and the hotel in which it is located on Sunday night. Kamra (36) was booked by Khar police on a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel. Kamra was asked to appear before police on Tuesday but he had sought seven days time, the official said. "In the second summons issued to him, Kunal Kamra has been asked to appear before police on March 31," the official informed. Police had also arrested 12 Shiv Sainiks, including leader Rahool Kanal, for vandalising the studio in which Kamra's show was filmed and the hotel in which it is located. They were ...