Kunal Kamra Controversy Live Updates: Khar police issue third summons to comedian, asks him to join probe by April 5

Comedian Kunal Kamra on Wednesday apologised to fans over police notices issued to them for attending his controversial show that has led to a massive political uproar.

A banker who attended Kamra's show in Mumbai was summoned as a witness after a case was registered against the comic over his alleged jibes against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, police said.

The comic is facing multiple FIRs for his alleged 'traitor' comments against Shinde during his latest stand-up show "Naya Bharat".

"I am deeply sorry for the inconvenience that attending my show has caused to you," Kamra wrote on X, sharing a news report which stated that a Navi Mumbai banker who attended the show had to cut short a trip after police served him notice. — PTI

The Mumbai Police Tuesday issued third summons to stand-up comic Kunal Kamra in connection with the FIR registered over his remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a comedy set on YouTube.

Kamra, who has already secured an interim anticipatory bail in the matter till April 7 from Madras High Court, was expected to join the inquiry early this week.

The Khar police served him third summons to him asking him to join the probe by April 5.

Stand-up comic Kunal Kamra on Monday criticised the Mumbai Police for visiting an outdated address linked to him as part of an ongoing investigation into his alleged remarks about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in a comedy set on YouTube.

In a post on his official ‘X’ and Instagram handles, Kamra slammed the police visit, saying they had gone to an address where he had not lived for a decade, calling the move a waste of time and public resources.

“Going to an address where I haven’t lived for the last 10 years is a waste of your time & public resources…” Kamra posted, with an image of himself enjoying the evening sun in his balcony. As per his Instagram bio, Kamra is currently in Puducherry.

A team of Khar police Monday visited comedian Kunal Kamra’s Mahim residence as he did not show up before them in connection with the FIR registered over his remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Kamra, who has already secured an interim anticipatory bail in the matter till April 7 from Madras High Court, was expected to join the inquiry on Monday. As he did not show up, the Khar police dispatched a team to his Mahim residence were his father is living.

But Kamra was not his home, said a police officer.

Meanwhile, Kamra, later in the evening, said in a post on X: “Going to an address where I haven’t lived for the last 10 years is a waste of your time and public resources…”

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday dismissed speculation about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's successor, asserting that Modi would continue to lead the country for many more years.

Responding to Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut's claim that Modi went to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur on Sunday to convey the message that he is retiring, Fadnavis told reporters in Nagpur, “In 2029, we will see Modi as the prime minister again.” Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, senior RSS leader Suresh ‘Bhaiyyaji' Joshi said he is not aware of any talk of (PM's) replacement.

“There is no need to search for his successor. He (Modi) is our leader and will continue,” Fadnavis said. Discussing succession while the leader is active is inappropriate in Indian culture, the CM added.

“In our culture, when the father is alive, it is inappropriate to talk about succession. That is Mughal culture. The time has not come to discuss it,” he said, referring to Raut's claim that Modi's successor would come from Maharashtra. PTI

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve took a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying that the party decided to remain silent after Kamra directly attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi but expressed outrage to the comedian's parody song that did not mention Eknath Shinde by name. "Kunal Kamra directly criticised prime minister Modi in his show, and the BJP took no offence. But the same party was outraged over a parody song that did not even name Shinde. It appears the BJP is using Shinde as a front to target Kamra," he claimed.

Kunal Kamra has stated in social media posts that he will not apologise for his remarks. Later, he also shared more videos on his social media platforms, criticising the government and ministers.

On March 27, he wrote on X: "To all those hounding for a quote - “The mainstream media at this point is nothing but a miscommunication arm of the ruling party. They are vultures who report on issues that dont matter to the people of this country. If they all shut shop from tomorrow till eternity they will be doing favour to the country, its people & their own children”

In addition to the Zero FIR, three more FIRs have been registered against comedian Kunal Kamra in Maharashtra for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Kamra had courted controversy for his ‘gaddar (traitor)’ jibe at Shinde.

The fresh cases were registered in different parts of Maharashtra and, on Friday, were transferred to Khar police station for further investigation, a police source confirmed to The Indian Express.

After the stand-up performance took place at the Mumbai studio, offended Shiv Sena supporters vandalised the studio and hotel premises where Kamra shot the video. Later, Kamra was booked by Khar police on a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel.

The Police had also arrested 12 Shiv Sainiks, including leader Rahool Kanal, for vandalising the studio in which Kamra’s show was filmed and the hotel in which it is located. They were granted bail hours after being held

Kunal Kamra has long been a controversial figure in Indian stand-up comedy. The comedian has previously faced travel bans, legal notices, and social media censorship for his performances. He has been living in an undisclosed place in northern Tamil Nadu after he purchased land there during Covid, and he travels outside the state mostly for his shows.

Kunal Kamra on Wednesday attacked Bollywood studio T-Series alleging that his controversial comedy special ‘Naya Bharat’ was flagged for copyright violations on YouTube. Kamra, posting a screenshot of his video getting flagged for copyright issues, slammed the company for “being a stooge”, saying that comedy and parody comes under fair legal use.

The post read: "Hello @TSeries, stop being a stooge. Parody & Satire comes under fair use Legally. I haven’t used the lyrics or the original instrumental of the song. If you take this video down every cover song/dance video can be taken down. Creators please take a note of it. Having said that every monopoly in India is nothing short of Mafia so please watch/download this special before it’s taken down. FYI - T- Series I stay in Tamil Nadu"

A Zero FIR was filed against Kamra on March 24 after his recent show at the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, where he performed a parody song targeting Shinde. Kamra’s Naya Bharat tour, which formed the basis of the complaint, covered themes of political satire, wealth disparity, gender roles, and the influence of billionaires.

The FIR under Sections 353(1)(b), 353(2) (public mischief), and 356(2) (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, was based on a complaint from Shiv Sena MLA Muraji Patel. It was later transferred to the Khar Police Station, Mumbai.

The Madras High Court Friday granted interim anticipatory bail to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra until April 7 in connection with an FIR lodged in Mumbai over his alleged remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Though the FIR was lodged in Mumbai, Kamra approached the Madras High Court on the grounds that he is a permanent resident of a northern Tamil Nadu district and fears immediate arrest and physical harm if he were to travel to Maharashtra. His plea was taken up following an urgent mentioning in the morning.

Good morning. Stay tuned as we bring you live updates from the ongoing Kunal Kamra-Eknath Shinde controversy. Today, all eyes will be on under-fire stand-up comedian after the Mumbai police, in its second summons last week, asked him to appear before it.