Thane cops book Kunal Kamra for defamatory remarks on Eknath Shinde

Kunal Kamra. File Photo

An FIR was registered against stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra in Thane district of Maharashtra for allegedly defaming Shiv Sena head and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, police said on Tuesday, reported news agency PTI.

Kamra was booked under section 356(2) (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on a complaint lodged by a Shiv Sena functionary at Dombivli police station on Monday, reported PTI.

The complaint stated that the Sena functionary came across the defamatory video clip against Shinde after opening an online link, an official said.

Kamra had kicked up a row with his "traitor" jibe at Shinde, an apparent reference to the 2022 Shiv Sena split, during his show recorded at a studio in the basement of a hotel in Mumbai, reported PTI.

The remarks and parody song invited violent reaction from Shiv Sena workers who on Sunday vandalised the studio, reported PTI.

Mumbai Police had booked the comedian on a complaint of a Shiv Sena MLA for allegedly making defamatory remarks and issued a notice seeking his personal appearance, reported PTI.

Separately, police registered a case against 40 Shiv Sena workers for vandalising the Habitat studio in the Khar area and arrested 12 workers on Monday. A local court granted them bail the same day.

As his jokes backfire, unfazed Kamra says he won't apologise

Comedian Kunal Kamra stood his ground and stubbornly refused to apologise for his jokes targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde who reminded him about maintaining decorum and limits to free speech but asserted he did not support vandalism.

"I will not apologise or hide under the bed waiting for the controversy to die down," a defiant Kamra asserted in a late Monday night statement as his controversial comments made during a show in Mumbai continued to stir politics in Maharashtra and beyond.

While Shinde said the comments - a parody targeting him -- were like "taking supari (or contract)" to speak against someone, many others weighed in too and the Mumbai Police issued notice to the stand-up comedian.

Kamra doubled down on his stand by sharing an edited video of his stand up act where he juxtaposed videos of Shiv Sainiks demolishing the venue in Mumbai where he recorded the show and burning his pictures and effigies with the parody song "Hum honge kangal, hum honge kangal ek din... Mann me andhvishwas, desh ka satyanash..." playing in the background.

The comedian, who is in Puducherry according to his Instagram bio, has updated his X header photo with a disclaimer that reads: "This programme contains coarse language, offensive content & is unfit for consumption by those whose feelings and sentiments can be hurt. No one but you are liable for any outrage or hurt that you claim is caused by your voluntary viewership."

(With inputs from PTI)