Comedian Kunal Kamra moves Madras HC seeking pre-arrest bail before questioning by Mumbai Police

Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has filed a petition before the Madras High Court seeking transit anticipatory bail in a case filed against him in Mumbai concerning his satirical remarks about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Live Law reported.

The case was mentioned for urgent hearing before Justice Sundar Mohan on Friday.

Transit anticipatory bail is a temporary protection, granted by a court, allowing a person accused of a crime to travel to a jurisdiction outside their usual location to face legal proceedings without immediate arrest. It is distinct from regular anticipatory bail.

Kamra said in his petition that the Madras High Court had jurisdiction to provide him such protection as he is a permanent resident of Villupuram town in Tamil Nadu.

On March 23, Kamra posted a video on his YouTube channel in which he ostensibly criticised Shinde while performing a satirical version of a song from a Hindi film. The comedian alluded to Shinde as a “traitor” while referring to his 2022 rebellion against former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and the ensuing political crisis in Maharashtra. He, however, did not mention Shinde by name.

After clips of the performance were widely shared on social media, workers of the Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena on the night of March 23 vandalised The Habitat Studio in Mumbai’s...

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