Stand-up comedian Kamra moves Bombay HC against FIR

Mumbai: Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has moved the Bombay High Court, seeking to quash an FIR lodged against him by the city police for allegedly passing a “traitor” jibe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The continuation of the case would be a frontal attack on a “citizen’s constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression,” Kamra said in his plea and asked whether a person’s right to comment on political developments and actions of leaders could be criminalised in this manner.

He said his remarks made regarding the split in the Shiv Sena, Shinde quitting Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena faction and being sworn in as the chief minister at the time (in 2022) are all part of records.

Kamra also claimed he has been receiving death threats after the show and hence, requested the police to question him via video conference.

His counsel Navroz Seervai and advocate Ashwin Thool mentioned the petition before a bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and S M Modak on Monday, seeking urgent hearing.

The bench said it would hear the plea on Tuesday.