Mumbai cops reach Kamra's Mahim 'home'; haven't stayed there for 10 years, says comedian
Mumbai (PTI): Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra on Monday failed to appear before Khar police in connection with the case registered for his "traitor" jibe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, while a team went to his Mahim "home" to "check" his availability.
The comedian later took a jibe at the police saying the visit was a waste of time and public resources as he had not been living there for the past 10 years.
Kamra was supposed to appear before Khar police during the day, an official said, adding it was the second time he was summoned.
"A Khar police team went to his house in Mahim, where his family stays, to check whether he would appear in connection with the case or not. Since he did not, further course of action will be decided soon," the official said.
In a post on X, Kamra said, "Going to an address where I haven't lived for the last 10 years is a waste of your time & public resources."
The first notice seeking his appearance was issued last week, and the comedian's request for seven days' time was denied by police.
The Madras High Court on March 28 granted interim anticipatory bail to Kamra on the condition that he execute a bond to the satisfaction of the judicial magistrate at Vanur in Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu.
Kamra had submitted he moved to Tamil Nadu from Mumbai in 2021 and has been "ordinarily a resident of this State (Tamil Nadu) since then" and that he feared arrest by Mumbai police.
Last week, three FIRs against him at Nashik Rural, Jalgaon and Nashik (Nandgaon) were transferred to Khar police station, where a case has already been registered on the complaint of Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel.
The studio where Kamra shot his video lampooning Shinde over the split in the Shiv Sena is located in Khar in the western part of the metropolis. Shiv Sainiks had ransacked the studio and the hotel in which it is located on the night of March 23.
Going to an address where I haven’t lived for the last 10 Years is a waste of your time & public resources… pic.twitter.com/GtZ6wbcwZn
— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) March 31, 2025
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
SP has ended contract with I-PAC due to fund constraints: Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said his party has severed its association with the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) due to a lack of funds.
He dismissed speculations that the termination of contract was because of recent election results.
Addressing a press conference here, Yadav said the party had engaged I-PAC for a brief period ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections but could not continue the arrangement.
"Yes, we had an association. They worked with us for a few months, but we are not able to continue because we do not have that kind of funding," he said.
The I-PAC is a political consultancy firm known for managing major election campaigns across the country.
Election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has also been associated with the organisation in the past and has worked with multiple parties, including the BJP and the Congress.
In a lighter vein, Yadav took a swipe at the ecosystem of political consultancies. "We thought that if we have to work with a 'winning agency', then there are several big companies."
He said that some people suggested conducting surveys, hiring another firm, keeping a social media company, and even engaging agencies for negative campaigning against other parties.
"There are one or two more companies whose names are not yet known. I can get those for you as well," Yadav said.
Yadav rejected the suggestion that the decision to end the deal was influenced by recent election outcomes in states such as West Bengal.
"There is no such thing. Do not ask questions based on baseless reports. That is not true," he said.
"This is not the reason for ending the agreement. We simply do not have enough funds. If you (the media) give us funds, we can hire another company," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.
