Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has approached the Bombay High Court seeking to quash an FIR filed against him by Mumbai Police for allegedly making a “traitor” remark directed at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a comedy performance.
Kamra moved the High Court on 5 April, contending that the criminal proceedings against him violate his fundamental rights—including the freedom of speech and expression, the right to practise a profession or trade, and the right to life and personal liberty as enshrined under the Constitution of India.
The plea, filed through advocate Meenaz Kakalia, is expected to come up for hearing before a bench led by Justice Sarang Kotwal on 21 April.
Kamra had previously been granted interim transit anticipatory bail by the Madras High Court, as he is a permanent resident of Tamil Nadu.
According to the FIR, Kamra, during a recent performance, took a veiled swipe at Shinde—without explicitly naming him—by parodying a Hindi film song from Dil To Pagal Hai and referring to the deputy CM as a “gaddar” (traitor). The act also featured jokes about Shinde’s rebellion against former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray.
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The FIR was registered after Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel lodged a formal complaint. The comedian has since failed to appear for police questioning in Mumbai, despite receiving three summons.
Mumbai Police have booked Kamra under sections 353(1)(b) (statements conducing to public mischief) and 356(2) (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Kamra’s petition argues that the FIR amounts to an abuse of the legal process and is an attempt to stifle satire and dissent. It urges the court to intervene and safeguard the comedian’s right to free expression.
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