Tamil Nadu Court Approves Transit Anticipatory Bail for Kunal Kamra
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Synopsis
Comedian Kunal Kamra has received transit anticipatory bail from a Tamil Nadu court following legal troubles stemming from a joke about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Kamra criticized the police's actions as a misuse of public resources while asserting that humor directed at public figures is not criminal.
Key Takeaways
- Kunal Kamra granted transit anticipatory bail.
- FIR filed by Khar Police in Mumbai.
- Performance criticized for political satire.
- BMC initiated demolition of comedy club post-protest.
- Kamra maintains right to joke about public figures.
Chennai, April 1 (NationPress) Comedian Kunal Kamra, who recently encountered legal issues due to a joke aimed at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has been granted transit anticipatory bail by the District Munsif-cum-Judicial Magistrate Court in Vanur, Tamil Nadu.
Kamra had sought the Madras High Court on Tuesday for transit anticipatory bail, which offers temporary protection against arrest in a different jurisdiction from where the FIR was filed.
An FIR was registered by Khar Police in Mumbai, Maharashtra. In a previous hearing, the Madras High Court had provided Kamra with interim protection from arrest until April 7.
Justice Sundar Mohan instructed the comedian to appear before the Vanur court to formally secure his bail. Following this instruction, the Vanur court granted the sought relief.
The incident arose from Kamra's stand-up performance on March 23 at the Habitat Comedy Club in the Khar area of Mumbai.
During the show, he parodied a song from the 1997 Bollywood movie ‘Dil Toh Pagal Hai’, making a satirical reference to Shinde. Although he did not mention the Deputy Chief Minister directly, Kamra referred to him as a “gaddar” (traitor), which ignited political outrage.
In response to the performance, Shiv Sena activists vandalized the venue. Shortly after, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) began demolishing parts of the comedy club, garnering more public attention.
Multiple officers from Mumbai Police reportedly visited Kamra’s registered address in the city after he did not show up for questioning.
Kamra, however, criticized this action, asserting that he had not resided at that address for over a decade and labelled the police's actions a “waste of time and public resources.”
Through his lawyer, Kamra argued in court that his performance lacked malicious intent and that he had not targeted any specific individual.
His lawyer contended that there was no hidden motive in his statements and claimed that the police were attempting to detain him without sufficient grounds.
Kamra has consistently argued that making jokes about political figures is not a crime.
“Your inability to take a joke at the expense of a powerful public figure does not alter my rights,” he stated in a public declaration.
He also informed the police that he would not retract his comments.
The Madras High Court has now directed Kamra to appear before it on April 7 for further proceedings concerning the terms of his bail.
The Vanur court, which granted the comedian temporary relief, is located in Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu.
