The police also registered a case against nearly 40 Shiv Sena workers for allegedly vandalising the Habitat Studio in Mumbai's Khar area — where Kamra's show with the 'gaddar (traitor)' jibe at Shinde was filmed — as well as a hotel in whose premises the studio is located, they said
After a video went viral showing Kunal Kamra allegedly using defamatory words against Eknath Shinde, Shiv Sena Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Murji Patel lodged a police complaint. File pic
The Mumbai Police on Monday filed a first information report (FIR) against stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra for allegedly making defamatory remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Eknath Shinde during a show, officials said.
ADVERTISEMENT
According to news agency PTI, the police also registered a case against around 40 Shiv Sena workers for allegedly vandalising the Habitat Studio in the Khar area of Mumbai — where Kunal Kamra's show with the "gaddar (traitor)" jibe at Shinde was filmed — as well as a hotel in whose premises the studio is located, they said.
A large number of Shiv Sena workers gathered outside Hotel Unicontinental, where the studio is located, on Sunday night. They allegedly ransacked the studio and the hotel premises, the police said.
Police personnel were present at the Unicontinental Hotel as members of the Shivsena (Shinde faction) forcibly halted stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra's show in Khar, Mumbai, following his song about Eknath Shinde.
— Mid Day (@mid_day) March 23, 2025
Pic: @AnuragAhire8 #Mumbai #MumbaiPolice pic.twitter.com/y5v2gmrH5b
Notably, the Habitat Studio, where Kamra's show was held, is the same venue where the controversial 'India's Got Latent' show had been filmed a few weeks ago, PTI reported.
After a video went viral showing Kunal Kamra allegedly using defamatory words against Eknath Shinde, Shiv Sena Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Murji Patel lodged a police complaint.
Based on his complaint, the MIDC Police in Mumbai registered an FIR in the early hours of Monday against Kunal Kamra under various Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) actions, including 353(1)(b) (statements conducing to public mischief) and 356(2) (defamation), an officer said.
In the nearly two-minute video, Kunal Kamra also mocked the ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena, the MIDC Police Station officer said, adding that an investigation was underway.
Meanwhile, the Khar Police registered an FIR against 19 Shiv Sena functionaries, including Rahul Kanal from the Yuva Sena, Vibhag Pramukh Kunal Sarmarkar and Akshay Panvelkar as well as 15 to 20 unidentified persons for allegedly vandalising the Habitat Studio as well as ransacking the hotel properties, an officer said.
Panvelkar, Sarmarkar and other Shiv Sainiks entered the hotel and studio and damaged them, Khar Police Sub-inspector Vijay Saed, on whose complaint the FIR was lodged, alleged in his statement, according to PTI.
The police claimed that they were shouting slogans such as "Shiv Sena Zindabad". When the police intervened, they allegedly pushed the on-duty personnel and also manhandled the hotel staffers. They were later brought to the police station for further probe, Saed said.
The case against the Shiv Sainiks was registered under various BNS sections, including for damaging private property and unlawful assembly, the officer added.
The video of Kamra's jibe at Shinde was also posted on X by rival Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Member of Parliament (MP) Sanjay Raut by saying "Kunal Ka Kamal".
कुनाल की कमाल!
— Sanjay Raut (@rautsanjay61) March 23, 2025
जय महाराष्ट्र! https://t.co/U4Jxdo4dCm
Kamra had taunted Shinde using a modified version of a Hindi song from the film 'Dil To Pagal Hai', eliciting laughter from the audience.
Shiv Sena lawmaker Naresh Mhaske on Sunday had "warned" Kamra that he would be "chased" by the party workers throughout the country. "You will be forced to flee India," Mhaske said in a video message.
Calling Kamra a "contract comedian", Mhaske stated that he should not have stepped on the "tail of a snake [apparently referring to Shinde]."
"Once the fangs are out, there will be dire consequences," warned the MP from Thane. He also alleged that the comedian had accepted money from Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray to target Shinde.
Patel said he would show "Kamra his level" and asked him to apologise.
Sena (UBT) legislator Aaditya Thackeray, however, slammed the vandalism at the show venue, calling it a "cowardly" act.
In a post on X late Sunday night, Thackeray said, "Mindhe's coward gang breaks the comedy show stage where comedian @kunalkamra88 put out a song on eknath mindhe, which was 100 per cent true. Only an insecure coward would react to a song by someone."
"By the way, law and order in the state. Another attempt to undermine the CM and Home Minister by Eknath Mindhe," he said.
(With PTI inputs)
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
