A magistrate’s court in Bandra granted bail on Monday to 12 Shiv Sena workers, including Rahul Kanal, who were arrested for vandalising a Mumbai hotel venue where comedian Kunal Kamra performed a controversial stand-up show. The accused were released on personal bonds of ₹15,000 each, according to media reports.
The incident occurred after Kamra referred to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as a “traitor” during his performance at the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar. Kamra’s comments and parody, which mocked Shinde’s appearance and political alliances, stirred up significant controversy.
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In a video posted on Saturday, Kamra criticized Shinde’s 2022 rebellion against former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, which led to the split of the Shiv Sena. The comedian also performed a parody of a popular song from the Bollywood film Dil To Pagal Hai, poking fun at Shinde’s alliance with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Although Kamra did not directly name Shinde in his video, the remarks were widely perceived as an attack on the Deputy Chief Minister, drawing ire from Shiv Sena workers.
The following day, a group of Shiv Sena activists, allegedly led by Kanal, stormed the venue in protest, damaging property.
Two separate cases were filed following the incident — one against Kamra for his comments and another against those responsible for the vandalism.
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On Monday, 12 individuals linked to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena were arrested and produced before the court. They were subsequently granted bail after being remanded to 14-day judicial custody. The police have identified 19 individuals involved in the episode, with several yet to be named, and others still at large.