Kunal Kamra.
Credit: X/@kunalkamra88
Chennai: Handing out a temporary reprieve, the Madras High Court on Friday granted interim anticipatory bail until April 7 to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra in connection with a FIR registered against him in Mumbai for his comments on Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde.
Justice Sunder Mohan posted the matter for April 7 and asked Kamra to execute a bond to the satisfaction of the judicial magistrate, Vanur in Villupuram district. Kamra, who said he shifted his residence to Villupuram in Tamil Nadu in 2021, moved the High Court on Friday seeking relief and the petition was taken up for hearing at the end of the day.
The judge also said he was satisfied with Kamra’s contention that he was unable to approach the courts in Maharashtra for protection.
While granting interim anticipatory bail to Kamra, the judge asked the Mumbai Police to respond to its notice by April 7. Kamra landed in trouble after the Khar Police in Mumbai on March 24 filed a FIR against him for calling Shinde a gaddar (traitor) in his show.
His comments sparked an outrage with Shiv Sena cadres vandalising the club where Kamra performed and the police asked the comedian to appear before it on March 31. Police have also arrested 12 Shiv Sena cadres.
In the court on Friday, Kamra’s counsel argued that the comedian had not explicitly named anyone during his performance and defended his act as a satire.
After the incident, Kamra is believed to have come back to Tamil Nadu and has been maintaining that he doesn’t regret the remarks made on Shinde.
In his petition, Kamra said the summons from police were served to his parents in Mumbai and that he approached them to permit him to appear for inquiry through video conferencing and sought two weeks’ time.
Though the police responded to him positively saying that he can appear on March 30, they didn’t clarify whether the appearance was in person or virtual.