'Traitor' jibe: Continue probe, but don't arrest Kamra, says HC on comedian's plea against FIR
Mumbai (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Friday said the police investigation against Kunal Kamra over his remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde can continue, but the comedian shall not be arrested.
A bench of Justices Sarang Kotwal and S M Modak admitted Kamra's petition seeking the quashing of the first information report (FIR) registered at the Khar police station for his alleged "traitor" jibe at Shinde during a stand-up comedy show.
This means Kamra's petition will be heard at length later.
By way of interim relief, the bench said the comedian shall not be arrested during the pendency of the petition.
"Investigation can continue. The petitioner (Kamra) shall not be arrested during the pendency of the petition," the court said.
It said that if the police wanted to record Kamra's statement, they shall do so in Chennai, where he currently resides, after giving him prior notice.
Kamra, in his plea, had stated that he was a resident of Tamil Nadu and was apprehensive about coming to Maharashtra due to the death threats he had been receiving after the show.
"If during the pendency of the petition, a chargesheet is filed in the case by the police, the concerned court shall not proceed with the same," the court ordered.
The court had last week, while reserving its order on the plea, granted the comedian interim protection from arrest.
Kamra has sought the quashing of an FIR registered against him for allegedly making defamatory remarks against Shinde.
The comedian, in the petition, stated that the allegations, even if taken at face value, do not constitute an offence.
He also sought the HC to protect him from any coercive action, including arrest, seizure of his electronic devices and examination of his financial transactions and accounts.
Kamra had submitted to the court that he had agreed to appear via video-conferencing before the Mumbai police for questioning in the case.
He had said he was facing death threats ever since the FIR was registered.
An FIR was registered at Khar police station here against the stand-up comedian for allegedly calling Shinde "gaddar" (traitor) during a show in the metropolis.
Workers of Shinde's party, Shiv Sena, also vandalised the studio where the show had been recorded.
During the show, Kamra sang a parody version of a song from the film "Dil To Pagal Hai", in which he used the word "gaddar". He then joked about how Shinde rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray and split the Shiv Sena in 2022.
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TN polls: TVK pushes DMK behind with leads in 83 seats, AIADMK ahead in 54
Chennai (PTI): New entrant TVK, led by actor-politician Vijay, was leading in as many as 83 constituencies on Monday when counting of votes polled in the April 23 Assembly polls was on across Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK was leading in 58 seats while the ruling DMK was ahead in 34, EC data showed.
About two hours after the postal ballots were counted and EVMs opened for multi-round counting, Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam surged ahead of its Dravidian rivals-- the DMK and the AIADMK, with the ruling party struggling to catch up.
If the trends maintain, Vijay could as well ensure the biggest electoral upset, something in lines with the "1967,1977" wins he had referred to in his campaign speeches.
While the Dravidian stalwart CN Annadurai brought the first non-Congress government in Tamil Nadu post-independence in 1967, the charismatic MG Ramachandran (MGR) installed the maiden AIADMK government 10 years later, unseating then DMK government under M Karunanidhi. TVK was leading in most Chennai segments, all considered DMK strongholds and currently represented by the party in the 234-member House.
A poor show by DMK could belie most exit polls giving an edge to it, riding on the number of populist measures Chief Minister M K Stalin had implemented in his five year "Dravidian model," inclusive governance.
According to EC and TV reports, 15 cabinet ministers, including Stalin were trailing. His son and deputy CM Udhayanidhi was also behind in his incumbent Chepauk-Tirvuvallikeni seat, according to a number of reports.
Stalin was trailing behind TVK's VS Babu by 1234 votes in Kolathur segment. Vijay was ahead in Tiruchirappalli East by over 3,000 votes at the end of two rounds of counting, according to EC data.
BJP is trailing in 26 constituencies and it is ahead in Thali segment alone. TVK is ahead in constituencies including Ponneri, Tiruvallur, Poonamalle, and Avadi.
AIADMK is leading in segments including Katpadi, and Guidyattam and party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami is ahead in Edappadi segment by 7003 votes.
DMK was leading in segments including Vellore, Anaikattu and Rishivandiyam.
