Mumbai: Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra asked Khar police for a week’s time after the latter issued him a notice Monday night to appear in connection with the FIR lodged against him over his video alluding to state Dy CM Eknath Shinde as “gaddar”. A second FIR for defamation was filed at Dombivli police station on Tuesday, a day after a Shiv Sena functionary from Thane had lodged a non-cognizable offence against him.
In his first response to the row, Shinde likened Kamra’s jibe to “taking a supari” and said if decorum is not maintained during satire, “action causes a reaction”.
Kamra put out a fresh video Tuesday in which he is seen singing “Hum honge kangaal” (We’ll be reduced to poverty) with clips of Sainiks vandalising studio Habitat playing in the background.
Kamra seeks one week to appear before Mumbai cops
One of the lines in the video is “Mann mein Nathuram, harkate Asaram” (Nathuram on the mind, and acts like Asaram).
BMC, which demolished a shed at hotel Unicontinental in which the studio is located, on Tuesday said it is examining permissions for the hotel.
Kunal Kamra’s lawyer on Tuesday morning submitted a letter to Khar police, explaining the comedian’s absence due to professional commitments in Pondicherry and indicating that his return to Mumbai would take approximately a week. Kamra faces charges of defamation and creating mischief through his show.
A police officer said notice was delivered to Kamra’s Mahim residence, where his father accepted it after attempts to reach Kamra directly were unsuccessful. The officer said, “Kamra’s mobile was found to be switched off. We asked his father to alert him to reply as soon as possible.”
DCP (zone IX) Dikshit Gedam said the police will decide about whether to remove the show from the online platform.
On potential threats, Kamra told TOI that he has been avoiding calls and messages from unknown people, noting that “the threat is openly made by politicians through the media. What can I say when they are making an open threat?”
The first complaint against Kamra was filed at MIDC police station in Andheri East by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel after viewing the video which was aired on Sunday. The case was subsequently transferred to Khar police. Kamra said, “The show was shot on Feb 2 and aired on Sunday. Soon, political workers took the joke in a wrong way.”
On Monday evening the Bandra court had granted bail to Shiv Sena functionary Rahool Kanal and eleven others who were arrested for vandalising the hotel premises.
Police maintained security outside the Khar hotel on Tuesday as well to prevent any potential disturbances.
Two performers from The Habitat studio, Yashika Bhardwaj and Pamil Godara, visited the spot Tuesday, displaying posters that read ‘Save The Habitat’ and ‘Why Habitat — Mujhe Kyun Toda?’
Kamra had in the controversial video performed a parody of a popular Hindi film song in which he alluded to Shinde. He also made jokes about recent political developments in Maharashtra, including the splits in the Shiv Sena and NCP.
