Mumbai Police have issued a second notice to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, asking him to appear before investigators in connection with a defamation case filed against him for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The case was registered at Khar Police Station following a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel. While the exact date of Kamra’s required appearance was not disclosed, officials confirmed that he had previously sought one week’s time to comply with the first police notice issued on Tuesday.
Kamra recently performed a satirical comedy routine in Mumbai, where he took jabs at Eknath Shinde’s political journey. Without directly naming Shinde, Kamra mocked the leader’s role in the 2022 rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray, which ultimately led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
During his performance, the comedian parodied a song from the Bollywood film “Dil Toh Pagal Hai”, referring to Shinde as a “gaddar” (traitor). His jokes also touched upon recent political turmoil in Maharashtra, including the splits in the Shiv Sena (2022) and the NCP (2023).
The performance sparked a political storm, leading Shiv Sena workers to vandalise the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, where the show was recorded. They also damaged the hotel premises housing the venue.
Police have since arrested 12 Shiv Sena workers, including party functionary Rahul Kanal, for their involvement in the attack on the comedy club. They were later granted bail on the same day.
Apart from the FIR against Kamra, Mumbai Police have also booked 40 Shiv Sena workers for the vandalism.
Kamra is known for his politically charged stand-up routines and has previously faced legal troubles over his commentary on government officials and political leaders. The case is ongoing, and it remains to be seen when the comedian will respond to the latest police summons.
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