A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Mumbai High Court to prevent arbitrary FIRs against artistes and public speakers. The PIL seeks a declaration that, in the Kamra case, his speech is protected under the right to free speech guaranteed by Article 19 of the Indian Constitution.

Meanwhile, in fresh trouble for the controversial comedian, three additional FIRs filed against  Kunal Kamra in different cities have been merged with the one registered in Mumbai’s Khar police station over his alleged jibe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The stand-up comedian courted controversy after cracking an allegedly objectionable joke during a show last month, using the term ‘gaddar’ (traitor) to make a veiled reference to Shinde.

The three zero FIRs that have been merged with the main case registered in Khar were filed in Thane, Nashik, and Buldhana by Shiv Sena workers.

The three FIRs were filed by Sunil Jadhav from Nandgaon Manmad, Nashik; Sanjay Bhujbal from Jalgaon Jamod, Buldhana; and Mayur Borse from Manmad, Nashik.

The complainants in the three FIRs said that the comedian allegedly created hatred between political parties by making ‘objectionable’ remarks against Shinde. They also alleged that Kamra’s remarks defamed Shinde’s ‘conduct’.

The three FIRs were registered under penal provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita dealing with defamation and public mischief.

Kamra, who has been granted protection against arrest until April 7 by the Madras High Court, has been summoned by Khar police to record his statement on Monday. This will be the third attempt by the police to call him, as he has not responded to two earlier requests.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 9 (Mumbai) Dixit Gedam said two offences have been registered at Khar police station: one against Kamra for derogatory comments, and another against people who vandalised the Unicontinental hotel in Khar, where the shoot of his stand-up comedy act titled ‘Naya Bharat’ took place.

Kamra landed in trouble after giving a comic spin-off to a popular Hindi song, in which he indirectly described Shinde as a ‘traitor’, referring to the 2022 Maharashtra political crisis that led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led state government.

The controversy snowballed after Kamra uploaded a clip from the show on social media last Saturday. Angry Shiv Sainiks vandalized the hotel, resulting in the arrest and subsequent bail of 12 Shinde supporters.