A banking professional from Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, was in the middle of a 17-day trip to Tamil Nadu and Kerala when an unexpected call from the Mumbai Police forced him to return early. The man, who was scheduled to come back on April 6, had to cut his journey short after receiving multiple calls and a WhatsApp notice summoning him as a witness in a defamation case against comedian Kunal Kamra.

The police notice, sent under Section 179 of the CrPC, required him to appear for questioning on March 30. “I had left on March 21, but I got repeated calls while I was in Tamil Nadu. The officer was skeptical about me being out of town and even threatened to visit my residence, which pushed me to return early,” the banker told The Times of India.

According to him, despite presenting proof of booking an online ticket for Kamra’s show, the police questioned if he had edited the comedian’s recorded video. “Why would Kamra even give me his show’s footage for editing?” he wondered.

However, Mumbai Police later denied summoning any audience member from Kamra’s show, stating that no such notices were issued. This comes amid an ongoing controversy surrounding Kamra’s latest stand-up special Naya Bharat, which was released on YouTube on March 24. The show triggered backlash from Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) workers, who vandalized the venue after Kamra performed a song allegedly calling Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde a “traitor.”

With three cases already filed against him, Kamra has secured interim relief from arrest from the Madras High Court. Meanwhile, the police are also questioning the cameraperson and staff involved in filming the show. Authorities have assured Kamra's safety when he appears for questioning.

4o