1 week Ago By Swati Deshpande
MUMBAI: Bombay High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Maharashtra govt and a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), Murji Patel, in a quashing petition filed by stand-up comic Kunal Kamra against a March 24 First Information Report ( FIR ) registered by Mumbai police over his February show. The court also waived notice as both State and the MLA were representd by a lawyer. The MLA lodged the FIR at Khar police station after seeing the show clip allegedly alluding to deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde and the split in Shiv Sena.
The HC division bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and S M Modak posted the matter to April 16, when it will also consider Kamra’s apprehension and plea for interim protection against any coercive action by the police. Senior counsel Navroz Seervai, for Kamra, sought an interim stay of the proceedings arising from the FIR. Kamra’s petition seeks interim relief of no coercive action by the Mumbai police, pending final disposal of his quashing petition.
Kamra, 36, is in Tamil Nadu. Seervai said, “In light of the danger he genuinely faces, including actual death threats which were recognised by Madras HC,” Kamra wanted to appear via video conferencing before the Mumbai police in response to a summons, to record his statement. Seervai said the police, however, were not keen to record Kamra’s statement through video conferencing.
The HC may consider asking the police to record Kamra’s statement through video conferencing mode and not insist on his physical presence, said Seervai, who added that Kamra was cooperating with the probe. The state prosecutor sought time to take instructions from the police dept to respond to Kamra’s plea. The Madras HC on Monday extended its interim protection to Kamra from any arrest till April 17.
The comedian’s petition contended that the FIR was registered with “malafide” intent and that there was a “gross abuse of power” by the politically motivated members of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which is part of the ruling dispensation in the state. The same was reflected in the vandalism of the studio by certain politically affiliated persons pursuant to the uploading of the video..
