​The Bombay High Court has issued notices to the Mumbai Police and Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel in response to a petition filed by stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra. Kamra seeks to quash a First Information Report (FIR) lodged against him for allegedly referring to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as a “traitor” during a February stand-up performance.

A division bench comprising Justices Sarang Kotwal and S M Modak has scheduled the next hearing for April 16, 2025. The court has directed the respondents to take instructions and respond to Kamra’s plea.

Kamra’s petition argues that the FIR infringes upon his fundamental rights, including freedom of speech and expression, asserting that his remarks were part of a comedy show and should not be treated as a criminal offense. He has also sought protection from any coercive action, citing death threats and requesting to appear via video conferencing for questioning.

The FIR was registered following a complaint by MLA Murji Patel, leading to multiple cases being filed against Kamra in different jurisdictions, which have since been transferred to the Khar police station in Mumbai.

Sources