Kunal Kamra controversy: Comedian requests for virtual court appearance facing after death threats

Mumbai, April 8 (IANS) Comedian Kunal Kamra has requested the Bombay High Court to quash the FIR lodged against him by the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde). The comedian’s petition is being heard in the honourable court.

The court has now adjourned the matter to April 16 at 2:30 pm, and has given the time to prosecution to seek instructions from officers.

Kunal Kamra's counsel also presented before the judge that there was no serious offence like a murder registered against his client. The FIR has been filed over his stand-up comedy gig. He said that comedy shows are completely scripted, and his client is getting death threats. He has requested the court to allow the comedian to appear through video conferencing.

Kamra’s lawyer said, “My client is facing death threat, he has approached police thrice (3 times) to record statements via video conference but they (police officials) are insisting on his physical presence. We request that Kamra appearing through video conference should be considered”.

Kunal Kamra has been at the centre of a controversy over his alleged remarks on the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde.

On Monday, Kamra wrote an open letter to the ticketing platform, BookMyShow. He took to his X, and alleged in his letter that he was delisted by the ticketing platform, and that BMS has prevented him from accessing the audience whom he has performed for close to a decade.

In its response, BMS said that the listing or delisting of a show is completely an organiser’s prerogative, and they have no say in it.

The said in a statement, “BookMyShow is a platform to facilitate the sale of tickets and operates the business with neutrality and in compliance with the applicable laws of India. Facts on our role have been misrepresented in the public domain. Our role is to provide a platform for ticket sales of live shows and it is the decision of the organiser or the venue to list or delist their shows”.

--IANS

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