HC extends the interim advance bail granted to comedian Kunal Kamra
Chennai, April 7 (PTI): The Madras High Court on Monday extended till April 17, the interim anticipatory bail granted to comedian Kunal Kamra, who apprehended arrest in connection with his stand up comedy on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Justice Sunder Mohan also directed the petitioner, Kamra to take steps to approach the concerned courts.
When the case came up for hearing on Monday, V Suresh, Counsel for the petitioner submitted that three more FIRs had been registered against the petitioner in Maharashtra.
The hostility towards the petitioner still continues as the authorities had visited his parental house in Mumbai and disturbed his aged parents. The people who had attended his event were also summoned by the police, Suresh added.
The judge posted to April 17, further hearing of the case.
Twice summoned by the Mumbai police, the 36-year-old stand-up comic's caustic comments on Shinde during his recent show in Mumbai have landed him in trouble and triggered a huge row.
The controversy stems from Kamra's show at the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai's Khar, where he performed a parody song targeting Shinde. The act prompted a strong backlash from Shiv Sena supporters, who vandalised the club and the hotel in which it is located.
Kamra was booked by the Khar police on a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel for allegedly making defamatory remarks against the deputy CM.
Moving the HC earlier for anticipatory bail, Kamra had submitted he moved to Tamil Nadu from Mumbai in 2021 and has been "ordinarily a resident of this State since then" and that he feared arrest by Mumbai Police.
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If asked for commission, contractors should approach Lokayukta: DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru(PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday suggested that if anyone has demanded commission from contractors to pay their bills, then they should file a complaint with Lokayukta.
His reaction comes a day after the Karnataka State Contractors Association (KSCA) alleged that the menace of commission was now more severe than the previous BJP government.
They claimed that "unseen hands and brokers" were active in the offices of Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar and two other senior Cabinet Ministers.
Responding to these allegations, Shivakumar denied involvement of ministers and said, "If anyone has asked for commission from contractors to pay bills, they should file a complaint with the Lokayukta. Our ministers Satish Jarkiholi and Boseraju are not involved in this."
Interacting with to reporters in vidhana soudha, Deputy CM said, If contractors are asked for commission, they should file a complaint with the Lokayukta. Shivakumar questioned as to why should contractors ask the minister regarding bill payment? "Are they (contractors) not aware of the department's budget? How did they take up the contract when there is no grant?"
"During the BJP tenure, contracts worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore were awarded by my department alone. MLAs are requesting for payment of these contract bills," he said.
He stated that during the BJP government, they had warned the contractors a year in advance before the assembly elections.
"We warned them not to take up any work without funds. However, without listening to us, they are now issuing letters of request for payment of bills through political leaders," he added.
On Thursday, KSCA president R Manjunath said "brokers" were active in Shivakumar's office and he also alleged interference by one relative of Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi in the affairs concerning his department.
He further claimed that Minor Irrigation Minister NS Boseraju's son (Ravi Boseraju) "makes all the deals".
While Shivakumar asked the contractors to lodge a complaint in writing, Boseraju and Jarkiholi have denied the allegations.
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