MUMBAI: Mumbai police on Monday summoned stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra for questioning in a case registered against him over his satirical lyrics targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in a recent show in Mumbai.
Kamra was asked to appear before the Khar police by 11 am on Tuesday, with the summons also sent to him via WhatsApp. However, Kamra, who currently resides in Pondicherry, declined to join the questioning immediately, citing threats to his life from Shiv Sena workers. He has reportedly requested a week's time to appear before the police.
The comedian has been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including 353(1)(b) and 353(2) (statements conducing to public mischief) and 356(2) (defamation).
The First Information Report (FIR) was initially lodged as a Zero FIR by the MIDC Police Station based on a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel and later transferred to Khar Police Station.
Mumbai police are also investigating whether Kamra received any financial or other incentives to mock Eknath Shinde. Officials are trying to determine if he was paid to target the deputy chief minister.
Maharashtra state home minister Yogesh Kadam stated that authorities would examine Kamra’s phone records and other electronic devices as part of the investigation.
The controversy erupted after a video from Kamra’s show in Mumbai's Khar area was uploaded to YouTube. The video, shot at Habitat Studio in ‘The UniContinental’ hotel, featured Kamra performing a parody of Bholi Si Surat, a popular song from the 1997 film Dil To Pagal Hai.
In the song, he referred to Shinde as a ‘gaddar’ (traitor), alluding to his 2022 rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray, which led to the fall of Thackeray’s government and the split of the Shiv Sena.
Following the video's release, Shiv Sena workers vandalised the venue and demanded the club’s permanent closure. Eleven workers were arrested in connection with the incident but were later granted bail. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) also demolished part of the club after the controversy.
On Monday night, Kamra issued a statement asserting that he would not apologise for his remarks. He also defended the venue, stating that neither the organisers nor any political party were responsible for the content of his show.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut defended Kamra, saying, “Mr Kamra has not said anything new. I personally know him and have attended his show as well. If he has violated the law, then action should be taken, but he has not done anything wrong, so why are Shinde and his people getting angry? Mr Kamra has spoken and repeated the truth and fact only.”
