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Journalism of Courage
A local Shiv Sena leader with NGOs under his name and connections to Bollywood celebrities; a corporator; a member of the Mumbai Suburban district planning committee; and a labour union leader.
These are among the 12 supporters of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde — all active Shiv Sena workers in Mumbai’s Bandra and Khar areas — who ransacked and vandalised the Habitat Studio in Mumbai on the night of March 23 after a video of stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, filmed at the venue, went viral. In the video, Kamra called Shinde a “gaddar (traitor)” for the split in the Shiv Sena. All 12 were arrested on Monday and received bail the same day.
Rahool Kanal
Kanal, a known Sena leader in the upscale Bandra area, led the group of Sena workers who vandalised the studio. The 39-year-old became close to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray after the latter set up the Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the then undivided Shiv Sena, in 2010.
Kanal quit the Sena (UBT) in July 2023, expressing his resentment over the functioning of Aaditya and switched to Shinde’s party. He has since been a member of the core committee of Shinde’s Yuva Sena.
Kanal owns a restaurant in Bandra and is considered close to several celebrities in the Mumbai film and entertainment industry, as well as some prominent sportspersons. He has been seen distributing food kits along with film star Salman Khan.
Kanal told The Indian Express on Thursday that the Sena workers had no intention of vandalising the studio. He claimed that the vandalism happened “in the heat of the moment” after the studio’s owner, Balraj, “misbehaved” with them.
“I know all these artists, including Kamra and Munnawar (Faruqui). I am someone who always supports artists. But when we saw the video, we initially contacted Balraj and enquired about the show. However, he did not talk to us properly and misbehaved. He said he rents out the place and does not care who does what after that. He was very arrogant and rude,” Kanal said, adding, “We had no intention to vandalise. We went there just to talk, but the response we got there triggered it and it happened in the heat of the moment … Had we planned it, we would have carried something with us (to vandalise). But we had nothing, not even our party flag. The point is it was not pre-planned.”
Kanal on Thursday lodged another complaint against Kamra at the Khar police station, requesting the police to investigate the financial transactions of the comedian’s YouTube channel that, he alleged, “seem irregular and may suggest the movement of funds for unlawful purposes”.
Kunal Sarmalkar
Sarmalkar, 42, is a long-time associate of Kanal and the Bandra East vibhag pramukh of the Sena. He is also the president of workers’ unions Navik General Kamgar Sena and Vidyut General Kamgar Sena; the general secretary of the Airport Aviation Employment Union; and a member of the Mumbai Suburban district planning committee.
Akshay Panvelkar
Panvelkar was also in the Yuva Sena and joined Shinde’s party in 2023. He was subsequently made the party’s in-charge for the North Central Mumbai Lok Sabha seat and handles party affairs in the area. He continues to work with the youth wing in the Shiv Sena.
Panvelkar told The Indian Express that “he is completely devoted to the Shinde Sena and its ethos”.
Vilas Chawari
Chawari was a corporator of the undivided Shiv Sena from Mumbai’s 99th ward between 2007 and 2012. He also unsuccessfully contested an Assembly election from Bandra East in 2014. He went on to hold larger responsibilities in the undivided Sena and briefly became the party’s chief coordinator for Raigad district. Chawari, too, joined the Shinde side in 2023.
Rahul Turbadkar
Tubadkar is a long-time associate of Kanal. At present, he is the Shiv Sena ward president of Khar West. He was previously the secretary of a local workers’ union.
Govind alias Paddy
He is Kanal’s personal assistant and point of contact for those who want to get in touch with the Sena leader.
Amin Shaikh
Shaikh is the Sena shakha pramukh for ward number 98. He told The Indian Express that they did what they were “supposed to do” and had “no remorse”.
Sameer Mahapadi
Sameer is a member of the Yuva Sena and is a follower of Kanal and Sarmalkar.
Shobha Palve
She is a Sena shakha pramukh and joined Shinde along with her supporters in 2023.
Shashank Kode
Kode is the husband of a Sena shakha pramukh in the Bandra-Khar area and has been a staunch supporter of Shinde for several years.
Sandeep Malap
A long-time member of the undivided Shiv Sena, he joined Shinde’s party in 2023 as well.
Ganesh Rane
Rane, a resident of Khar, is associated with the Yuva Sena and is a follower of Kanal.
