The Bombay High Court will be hearing standup comedian Kunal Kamra’s case on Tuesday. The comedian had moved the court to quash the FIR that had been lodged against him, after which the court sought a reply from the Maharashtra government on Kamra’s petition.
A division bench of Justice Sarang Kotwal and Justice SM Modak had directed a formal notice to the state and the complainant, Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel. The court had given him time until April 16 to put his side of the case. The in-depth hearing of this case has been fixed for April 16 at 2.30 pm.
Kamra had sought an immediate hearing
The Bombay High Court largely relieved Kunal Kamra in the case of the parody song on Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. On April 7, the court extended the interim protection granted to Kamra in the Mumbai Police FIR until April 17. Besides this, Kamra has also moved a petition in the Bombay High Court for quashing the case filed against him. He had sought a hearing on his petition immediately. Nevertheless, the court did not take up the case on April 7 and authorized the hearing of the case on April 8.
Let us inform you that Kamra had moved a petition in the High Court on April 5, stating that the FIR lodged against him was an encroachment of the fundamental rights given to him by the Constitution.
Kamra filed an appearance on April 1 in the Madras High Court
Kamra made a court appearance before the Madras High Court on April 1. Kamra had stated that the police were attempting to arrest him, so he needed transit anticipatory bail. While Kunal Kamra’s case is being heard, Justice Sundar Mohan released Kamra’s transit anticipatory bail. Previous to this, on March 28, Kamra’s anticipatory bail till April 7 had been passed by the High Court.
Know what is the entire issue
Kunal Kamra performed a spoof in a stand-up comedy show, in which he named Maharashtra Deputy CM Shinde a traitor. Following the emergence of Kamra’s video, on March 23, Shiv Sena’s Shinde faction workers vandalized Habitat Comedy Club in the Khar locality of Mumbai. Shinde stated, ‘This same individual (Kamra) had commented on the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister, Arnab Goswami, and some industrialists. This is not freedom of expression. This is working for someone.’
Three new complaints were lodged against Kamra at Khar Police Station in Mumbai. As per the information provided by Mumbai Police on March 29, the first complaint has been lodged by the Mayor of Jalgaon, and the second complaint has been lodged by two separate businessmen from Nashik.
Kunal Kamra did not apologize.
In this matter, Mumbai Police have issued three summonses to Kunal Kamra for interrogation. On April 2, he was issued the third summons, and he was requested to report on April 5. Kamra did not report to the Mumbai Police even on the third summons. Meanwhile, the breach of privilege notice against Kamra has also been accepted by the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Mumbai Police had already gone to Kamra’s residence in Shivaji Park on March 31.
