Kamra claims the case is politically motivated and an attempt to curb his freedom of speech.
According to the TOI report, Kamra’s counsel, V. Suresh, mentioned the petition for an urgent hearing before Justice Sundar Mohan, and the court scheduled it for hearing at the end of the board. The plea was filed late Thursday night through the e-filing system.
In his petition, Kamra asserts that he is innocent and has been falsely implicated through a “frivolous complaint” aimed at “harassing and censoring an artist.” He has sought inter-state anticipatory bail, citing concerns for his safety and the upcoming public holidays.
Shinde earlier commented on the controversy, saying, “Freedom of speech is there. We understand satire. But there should be a limit. This is like taking ‘supari’ (contract) to speak against someone.”
Kamra, who has been living in Tamil Nadu since February 2021, fears for his safety if he travels to Mumbai on March 31. The Mumbai Police’s Khar station had summoned him for questioning on March 25, but he requested a week’s extension. The FIR alleges that Kamra performed a parody of a popular song from the 1997 film Dil Toh Pagal Hai, making remarks about Shinde and the 2022 Shiv Sena split. His plea argues that the FIR does not establish public mischief or defamation. Kamra’s petition also highlights that his show, Naya Bharat, was performed in February and uploaded on social media. On March 23, Shiv Sena members allegedly vandalized the venue, and later that night, an FIR was lodged against him. Kamra maintains that the disputed song does not mention anyone by name.
Relying on a Supreme Court ruling in the Priya Indoria case from Karnataka, Kamra argued that anticipatory bail is meant to prevent politically motivated arrests. “The FIR reflects a politically motivated complaint, and the subsequent vandalism by politically affiliated individuals further demonstrates the malicious nature of the case,” his plea asserted, as per the TOI report.
(With inputs from TOI)
