The Madras High Court has extended the interim protection from arrest granted to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra until April 17, 2025. This decision is linked to the FIR registered against Kamra by Mumbai Police over his alleged remarks concerning Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Justice Sunder Mohan, who presided over the case, directed Kamra to take appropriate steps to approach the concerned courts for further relief. During the hearing, the court also acknowledged that Kamra had filed a petition before the Bombay High Court seeking to quash the FIRs registered against him. It was noted that the Bombay High Court is scheduled to hear the matter on April 8.
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Advocate Suresh, appearing on behalf of Kamra, informed the court that three more FIRs had recently been lodged against his client in Maharashtra. He emphasized the ongoing hostility towards Kamra, highlighting that authorities had gone to the comedian’s parental home in Mumbai, thereby disturbing his elderly parents. Suresh further stated that even the audience members who attended Kamra’s event were questioned by the police.
As per a previous direction from the court, a private notice had been served to the Khar Police Station. In response, Justice Sunder Mohan instructed the registry to verify the notice's service status and add Khar Police Station as a respondent in the case proceedings. The matter has now been adjourned to April 17, with the interim protection extended until that date.
"On March 28, the Madras High Court had granted interim anticipatory bail to Kunal Kamra, which was valid until April 7. The court has now extended this interim protection by ten more days," the court noted.
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Kamra has also approached the Bombay High Court to challenge the FIR filed by the Maharashtra Police. An urgent mention of the case was made before a division bench headed by Justice Sarang Kotwal, who agreed to hear the petition on April 8.
Kunal Kamra approached the Madras High Court for relief since he is a permanent resident of Villupuram in Tamil Nadu. The FIR against him has been filed under Sections 353(1)(b), 353(2) [Public Mischief], and 356(2) [Defamation] of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Khar Police Station in Mumbai.
"Although Kamra did not directly name Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, party workers alleged that he referred to Shinde as a traitor while commenting on the political split within the Shiv Sena."
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Following Kamra’s remarks, tensions escalated in Mumbai. A group of Shiv Sena workers vandalised the Habitat Studio where Kamra had performed. Police arrested twelve individuals in connection with the incident.
Case Details:
Case Title: Kunal Kamra v. State
Case No.: Crl.O.P.No.9768 of 2025
