Kunal Kamra case: Bombay HC seeks Mumbai police and complainant's response in plea to quash FIR

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the Mumbai police and Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel regarding comedian Kunal Kamra's plea challenging an FIR lodged against him for allegedly calling Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde a "gaddar" (traitor).

A division bench comprising Justices Sarang Kotwal and S M Modak have now decided to hear Kamra's petition on April 16.

The FIR against Kamra was filed by Patel at the Khar police station in Mumbai. "Issue notice to the respondents (police and Patel). They shall take instructions and respond to the plea," the court said.


Kamra's counsel, Navroz Seervai, informed the bench that the Madras High Court had extended the interim transit anticipatory bail granted to the comedian until April 17.

"The petitioner has offered in writing thrice to the police to allow him to appear for questioning via video conference in light of the dangers and threat to his life," Seervai said.

"It seems that the police authorities are not so keen on recording his statement but more on bringing him here physically," he further claimed.

Currently, Kamra is residing in Tamil Nadu, where he has been since 2021.

Seervai said, "This is not a case of murder. It is an FIR that has stemmed from a stand-up comedy show. He (Kamra) is ready to cooperate with the probe but through video conference."

What is the Kunal Kamra row?

Stand-up comedian Kamra has been facing backlash for a performance in which he mocked Maharashtra's deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. During the act, Kamra used a parody of a popular Hindi song from the movie "Dil To Pagal Hai," insinuating that Shinde is a "gaddar" (traitor) for his rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership in June 2022.

The script for Kamra's show was reportedly written in July 2024, and he performed it 60 times between August 2024 and February 2025. A recording of the show was uploaded in March 2025, which subsequently led to the legal action against him.

In his petition filed on April 5, Kamra argues that the complaints against him infringe upon his fundamental rights, including the freedom of speech and expression, the right to practice his profession, and the right to life and liberty as guaranteed by the Constitution of India.

Kamra is seeking to have the First Information Report (FIR) against him quashed, contending that the allegations do not constitute a criminal offense, even if taken at face value. He has also requested the High Court to safeguard him from any coercive measures, such as arrest or seizure of his electronic devices and financial records.

The petition asserts that allowing the investigation to proceed would represent a significant attack on freedom of speech. It questions whether a citizen should be criminalized for commenting on the political actions and developments of leaders.

According to the plea, Kamra's remarks concerning the Shiv Sena split and Shinde’s rise to chief ministership are well documented. He emphasizes that the FIR stems from a comedic performance meant to provide satirical commentary on political and social events in India.

(With inputs from PTI)