No vindictive action taken against those who shared Kunal Kamra’s videos, Maharashtra tells HC

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday told the Bombay High Court that it has not taken vindictive action against any persons who shared video clips or sang satirical songs from a performance by comedian Kunal Kamra, The Indian Express reported.

Public Prosecutor Hiten Venegaonkar, representing the state government, made the statement in response to a public interest litigation by a law student named Harshavardhan Khandekar. The petitioner demanded that Kamra’s freedom of speech should be protected, and no action should be taken against persons who reposted clips from his performance, or sang satirical songs from it.

The public prosecutor said there was not even a single instance where the government took vindictive action against any individuals for such acts.

A bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice MS Karnik disposed of the petition, allowing the petitioner to “take appropriate remedy or recourse if any such occasion arises in future”.

The judges also noted that the Madras High Court has granted interim anticipatory bail to Kamra, and that his petition challenging the cases against him is pending before the Bombay High Court, Bar and Bench reported.

“Person aggrieved [Kamra] is seeking relief [before the courts],” the bench verbally told the petitioner. “He is not poor or illiterate and why are you fighting his cause? We are not inclined...

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