Kunal Kamra's ‘Naya Bharat’ show audience summoned by Mumbai Police — what does law say?

Kunal Kamra-Eknath Shinde Row: The Mumbai Police has summoned the audience members who attended Kunal Kamra's ‘Naya Bharat’ show in The Habitat studio at Mumbai's Unicontinental Hotel for questioning. The audience members were part of the show during which Kunal Kamra ostensibly criticised Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

According to a report by the Times of India, the summoning of the audience members was not mandatory, as the Mumbai Police had video evidence of the alleged parody of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, as sung by Kunal Kamra.

The Mumbai Police visited a residence at Mahim on Monday, where the comedian resided 10 years ago. Following the unsuccessful visit, Kunal Kamra had quipped that the Mumbai Police's efforts were a ‘waste of time’.

Social media users have also hit out at ticket booking platforms for sharing information about the audience who attended Kunal Kamra's show. Outrage poured on social media as several rapped ticket booking platforms for providing audience information to the Mumbai Police and flagged the need to provide the phone number and email ID for purchasing a ticket.

Kunal Kamra's audience summoned: What the law says

The police have begun recording statements from attendees of comedian Kunal Kamra’s February 2 show, Naya Bharat, at The Habitat studio, as part of their investigation into his alleged remarks about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Notices were issued to audience members under Section 179 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which permits police to summon witnesses for questioning.

Former IPS officer and lawyer YP Singh clarified to the Times of India that while the police are within their rights to summon one or two attendees to record witness statements, it is not mandatory since electronic evidence, such as video recordings, already exists.

He also noted that the case lacks severity as the performance was within the bounds of freedom of speech.

Not a threat, says Shiv Sena

Shiv Sena leader Rahool Kanal, a close associate of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, declared that Kunal Kamra will receive a ‘Shiv Sena- style' welcome when the comedian visits Mumbai.

When asked if it threatened the comedian, the Shiv Sena Yuva Sena general secretary replied, “It's not a threat."

Rahool Kanal was earlier arrested and granted bail within hours for vandalising Mumbai's Habitat studio.

Kunal Kamra's latest satire: ‘How to kill an Artist Democratically’

Kunal Kamra on Tuesday shared a satirical post titled "How to Kill an Artist Democratically," criticising what he described as systematic efforts to silence dissenting artists.

Amid controversy over his parody targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the comedian outlined a step-by-step "playbook" for suppressing artistic expression.

Kunal Kamra highlighted tactics such as orchestrating outrage to deter brands, drying up private gigs, and intimidating venues. These culminated in turning art into a crime scene by summoning audiences for questioning.

Kamra argued that such measures leave artists with only two choices: compromising their integrity or fading into silence, labelling this strategy as a “silencing machine.”

Kunal Kamra-Eknath Shinde Controversy: A Recap

Kunal Kamra found himself embroiled in controversy after performing a satirical song that allegedly mocked Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The performance, which alluded to Shinde as a "Gaddar" (traitor) without explicitly naming the politician, sparked violent protests from Eknath Shinde's supporters, leading to vandalism at the Mumbai venue.

Kunal Kamra now faces multiple police complaints and summonses, with charges including defamation and public mischief. Kunal Kamra, a resident of Villupuram town in Tamil Nadu, has been granted anticipatory bail from the Madras High Court till April 7.