Madras High Court Grants Interim Bail to Comedian Kunal Kamra in Defamation Case
CHENNAI, March 28 – The Madras High Court on Friday granted interim anticipatory bail to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra in a case filed by Mumbai’s Khar police over alleged defamatory remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a recent comedy show.
Justice Sunder Mohan ordered interim protection from arrest until Kamra could approach the Bombay High Court for regular bail. The court directed him to execute a bond with two sureties at a judicial magistrate’s court in Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu, where he has resided since 2021.
The case stems from Kamra’s latest show, Naya Bharat, performed in Mumbai in February and later uploaded on YouTube. On March 23, a political activist group vandalized the venue, and an MLA lodged a police complaint accusing Kamra of defaming Shinde. An FIR was subsequently registered, and police summoned the comedian for questioning.
Kamra’s lawyers argued that his performance did not name Shinde and called the complaint baseless. The comedian also reported receiving death threats from politicians and anonymous sources, raising concerns about his safety.
With the Bombay High Court expected to be on leave for several weeks in April, Kamra sought inter-state anticipatory bail from the Madras High Court, fearing possible arrest and mistreatment. The court has set April 7 as the return date for further proceedings.
