Kunal Kamra Faces Third Summons Amid Controversy Over Remarks on Maharashtra Politician

Kunal Kamra's Legal Troubles Continue

Mumbai: Comedian Kunal Kamra has received a third summons from the Khar Police in Mumbai, asking him to come in for questioning this Saturday.

This latest request follows two previous summonses that Kamra did not attend.

He is currently under investigation for allegedly making a controversial remark interpreted as a jab at Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The contentious video, which was released after Kamra's performance at the Habitat Comedy Club in Khar, featured a parody of a well-known song from the film 'Dil To Pagal Hai.' During his act, Kamra stated, “Meri nazar se tum dekho toh, gaddar nazar wo aaye. Haaye,” which many viewed as a critique of Shinde.

These comments were made in the backdrop of the 2022 political upheaval in Maharashtra that resulted in the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led government, prompting multiple FIRs against Kamra.

Following the video's release on March 23, Shiv Sena supporters, upset by his comments, vandalized the Unicontinental Hotel in Khar, where the video was filmed. This led to the arrest of 12 individuals affiliated with Shinde, who were later released on bail.

In response to the summons, Kamra previously mentioned he was out of Mumbai due to other obligations and proposed to appear for questioning on April 2.

However, the police did not accept his request for a later date.

Kamra's attorney, V. Suresh, has raised concerns regarding Kamra's safety, alleging that he has received threats from certain ministers in the Maharashtra Cabinet.

The Khar Police are actively investigating the situation, with two FIRs already lodged against Kamra for his derogatory comments. Additionally, three other FIRs from different regions of Maharashtra have been consolidated into the Mumbai investigation.

The police have confirmed that Kamra has not been in touch with the Khar police station. Although the Madras High Court has granted him protection from arrest until April 7, the new summons suggests that the investigation is progressing despite his previous refusals to comply.