Madras HC extends interim protection from arrest to Kunal Kamra till Apr 17

The Madras High Court on Monday gave stand-up comic Kunal Kamra interim protection from arrest by the Maharashtra police till April 17.

Justice Sunder Mohan extended the interim protection in the three cases filed against him for his alleged remarks in a recent show in Mumbai against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

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“Interim protection will continue. The petitioner, in the meantime, should take steps to approach the appropriate court,” the Judge said.

Initially, the court had on March 28, granted interim anticipatory bail till April 7, to Kamra, who is also a resident of Tamil Nadu within the jurisdiction of the High Court. When the petition came up for hearing, petitioner’s counsel and human rights activist, V Suresh informed the court that three more FIRs have been registered against Kamra in connection with the same case clearly indicating that the hostility against Kamra was continuing.

“The Mumbai Police have gone to his house and harassed his aged parents. Even those who have attended the show have been summoned,” he submitted, adding that proof of serving private notice to Mumbai Police had been filed.

He further submitted that his client was facing a threat to his life as party men and ministers have openly issued open threats. The Judge, recording the submissions, directed the registry to verify whether private notices to the Mumbai Police had been served. The registry was further directed to print the name of the Mumbai Police in the cause list.

In his petition, Kamra had submitted that the allegation against him was making certain remarks about the Deputy Chief Minister in a comedy show ‘Naya Bharat’. The allegation does not warrant custodial interrogation and he was unable to secure anticipatory bail in Maharashtra.

FIRs have been registered against him in Khar, Mumbai and Kamra submitted that if he travelled to Mumbai he faced imminent arrest at the hands of the Mumbai Police.

Meanwhile, the 36-year-old stand-up comedian had moved the Bombay High Court seeking quashing of the FIRs filed against him by the Mumbai Police. The petition, filed on April 5, is expected to come up for hearing on Tuesday (Tomorrow).

He contended that the registration of FIR violated his fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution under Articles 19(1) – right to freedom of speech and expression, 19(1) (g), right to practice any profession and business and 21 (right to life and personal liberty.