Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra’s legal battle over an FIR linked to a parody song allegedly targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reached the Bombay High Court this week. Kamra’s lawyer, senior advocate Navroz Seervai, argued that the case represents a grave misuse of state machinery to silence artistic expression. He asserted that the proceedings fall under the “rarest of rare” cases where personal offence is being wrongly translated into legal persecution, violating Kamra’s right to free speech under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.
Seervai pointed out that police had issued three summonses demanding Kamra’s physical presence despite credible threats to his safety, adding that the Madras High Court had already acknowledged the seriousness of those threats and granted interim relief. He also criticized the harassment of Kamra’s elderly parents and questioned the lack of a preliminary inquiry to assess whether an offence had been made out.
Highlighting the broader implications, Seervai warned that allowing such actions sets a dangerous precedent for artists and entertainers across the country. The public prosecutor, meanwhile, contended that comedians must be open to criticism and cannot target individuals recklessly.
The Bombay High Court has reserved its decision but granted Kamra interim protection from arrest until the final order is pronounced.
