Madras High Court Grants Interim Transit Anticipatory Bail to Comedian Kunal Kamra

The Madras High Court on Friday granted interim transit anticipatory bail to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra in connection with an FIR lodged against him in Mumbai over his alleged remarks about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The court also issued a notice to Mumbai Police and scheduled the next hearing for April 7.

Kamra, a resident of Villupuram, Tamil Nadu, moved the Madras High Court, arguing that it had jurisdiction to hear his plea. The matter was urgently mentioned before Justice Sunder Mohan, who granted temporary relief to the comedian.

The FIR against Kamra was initially registered as a Zero FIR under Sections 353(1)(b), 353(2) (Public Mischief), and 356(2) (Defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) following a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Muraji Patel. The case has since been transferred to the Khar police station in Mumbai.

While Kamra did not explicitly name Eknath Shinde in his remarks, Shiv Sena workers alleged that he indirectly referred to the leader as a "traitor," a reference to Shinde’s split from the Shiv Sena.

The case has reignited debate over the boundaries of political satire and free speech in India. Kamra’s supporters argue that comedians should have the freedom to critique public figures without the fear of legal repercussions. The upcoming hearing on April 7 is expected to be a crucial development in the case.​