Madras HC extends interim advance bail granted to comedian Kunal Kamra

The Madras High Court on Monday extended till April 17, the interim anticipatory bail granted to comedian Kunal Kamra, who apprehended arrest in connection with his stand-up comedy on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

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Justice Sunder Mohan also directed the petitioner, Kamra to take steps to approach the concerned courts.

When the case came up for hearing on Monday, V Suresh, Counsel for the petitioner submitted that three more FIRs had been registered against the petitioner in Maharashtra.

The hostility towards the petitioner still continues as the authorities had visited his parental house in Mumbai and disturbed his aged parents. The people who had attended his event were also summoned by the police, Suresh added.

The judge posted to April 17, further hearing of the case.

Twice summoned by the Mumbai police, the 36-year-old stand-up comic's caustic comments on Shinde during his recent show in Mumbai have landed him in trouble and triggered a huge row.

The controversy stems from Kamra's show at the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai's Khar, where he performed a parody song targeting Shinde. The act prompted a strong backlash from Shiv Sena supporters, who vandalised the club and the hotel in which it is located.

Kamra was booked by the Khar police on a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel for allegedly making defamatory remarks against the deputy CM.

Moving the HC earlier for anticipatory bail, Kamra had submitted he moved to Tamil Nadu from Mumbai in 2021 and has been "ordinarily a resident of this State since then" and that he feared arrest by Mumbai Police.