
The Mumbai Police has served notices to audience members who attended a stand-up comedy show by comedian Kunal Kamra in which he had criticised Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The notices are served under CRPC Section 179, which authorises police officers to summon witnesses for investigation.
Summoning the viewers was not mandatory in this case as electronic evidence is available, ‘The Times of India’ quoted IPS officer-turned-lawyer YP Singh as saying.
Kamra’s recent stand-up special, Naya Bharat, triggered a hate campaign by the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, leading to threatening speeches against him, vandalism, the closure of a prominent comedy venue in Mumbai, and legal action.
The state government has sought an apology from Kamra for his joke. On March 24, the comedian stated that he does not “fear this mob” and will not apologise for his joke.
Nearly three dozen supporters of the Shiv Sena ransacked The Habitat studio, at the Unicontinental hotel in Khar where Kamra recorded the show, last week.
The comedian was booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 353(1)(b), 353(2) (statements conducing to public mischief), and 356(2) (defamation). The MIDC Police Station lodged the First Information Report against Kamra as a Zero FIR based on a complaint lodged by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel. Later, they transferred the Zero FIR to Khar Police Station.
Kamra sought seven days to travel to Mumbai, but the police had denied his request. On Friday, the Madras High Court granted interim anticipatory bail to Kamra till April 7 in the case. Justice Sunder Mohan stated he was satisfied at a preliminary level that Kamra would not be able to approach courts in Maharashtra for anticipatory bail.
Kamra said in his petition that the Madras High Court had the jurisdiction to hear his anticipatory bail petition as he is a permanent resident of Villupuram town in Tamil Nadu.
A day later, three additional first information reports were registered against Kamra based on the complaints filed by Shinde Sena workers.
The notices are served under CRPC Section 179, which authorises police officers to summon witnesses for investigation.
Summoning the viewers was not mandatory in this case as electronic evidence is available, ‘The Times of India’ quoted IPS officer-turned-lawyer YP Singh as saying.
Kamra’s recent stand-up special, Naya Bharat, triggered a hate campaign by the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, leading to threatening speeches against him, vandalism, the closure of a prominent comedy venue in Mumbai, and legal action.
The state government has sought an apology from Kamra for his joke. On March 24, the comedian stated that he does not “fear this mob” and will not apologise for his joke.
Nearly three dozen supporters of the Shiv Sena ransacked The Habitat studio, at the Unicontinental hotel in Khar where Kamra recorded the show, last week.
The comedian was booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 353(1)(b), 353(2) (statements conducing to public mischief), and 356(2) (defamation). The MIDC Police Station lodged the First Information Report against Kamra as a Zero FIR based on a complaint lodged by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel. Later, they transferred the Zero FIR to Khar Police Station.
Kamra sought seven days to travel to Mumbai, but the police had denied his request. On Friday, the Madras High Court granted interim anticipatory bail to Kamra till April 7 in the case. Justice Sunder Mohan stated he was satisfied at a preliminary level that Kamra would not be able to approach courts in Maharashtra for anticipatory bail.
Kamra said in his petition that the Madras High Court had the jurisdiction to hear his anticipatory bail petition as he is a permanent resident of Villupuram town in Tamil Nadu.
A day later, three additional first information reports were registered against Kamra based on the complaints filed by Shinde Sena workers.
The Mumbai Police has served notices to audience members who attended a stand-up comedy show by comedian Kunal Kamra in which he had criticised Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The notices are served under CRPC Section 179, which authorises police officers to summon witnesses for investigation.
Summoning the viewers was not mandatory in this case as electronic evidence is available, ‘The Times of India’ quoted IPS officer-turned-lawyer YP Singh as saying.
Kamra’s recent stand-up special, Naya Bharat, triggered a hate campaign by the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, leading to threatening speeches against him, vandalism, the closure of a prominent comedy venue in Mumbai, and legal action.
The state government has sought an apology from Kamra for his joke. On March 24, the comedian stated that he does not “fear this mob” and will not apologise for his joke.
Nearly three dozen supporters of the Shiv Sena ransacked The Habitat studio, at the Unicontinental hotel in Khar where Kamra recorded the show, last week.
The comedian was booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 353(1)(b), 353(2) (statements conducing to public mischief), and 356(2) (defamation). The MIDC Police Station lodged the First Information Report against Kamra as a Zero FIR based on a complaint lodged by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel. Later, they transferred the Zero FIR to Khar Police Station.
Kamra sought seven days to travel to Mumbai, but the police had denied his request. On Friday, the Madras High Court granted interim anticipatory bail to Kamra till April 7 in the case. Justice Sunder Mohan stated he was satisfied at a preliminary level that Kamra would not be able to approach courts in Maharashtra for anticipatory bail.
Kamra said in his petition that the Madras High Court had the jurisdiction to hear his anticipatory bail petition as he is a permanent resident of Villupuram town in Tamil Nadu.
A day later, three additional first information reports were registered against Kamra based on the complaints filed by Shinde Sena workers.