Wed Apr 02 08:18:23 UTC 2025: ## Comedian Offers Vacation After Fan’s Trip Cut Short by Police Questioning
**Mumbai, April 3, 2025** – Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has apologized to a banker whose vacation was interrupted due to police questioning related to Kamra’s controversial show, “Naya Bharat.” The banker, from Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, was called in as a witness in a defamation case against Kamra stemming from a parody targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The banker, who was on a 17-day trip to Tamil Nadu and Kerala, received a call from Mumbai Police on March 28th, requesting his presence for questioning on March 30th. He cut his trip short and returned to Mumbai, fearing further repercussions. Despite presenting proof of his online ticket purchase for the show, the police expressed skepticism, suggesting potential video manipulation.
Mumbai Police maintains that no formal notices were issued to attendees of the show, which featured a parody of the song “Bholi Si Surat” targeting Shinde. The show, released on YouTube on March 24th, sparked outrage among Shinde’s supporters, leading to vandalism and a demolition drive at the Habitat studio where it was filmed.
Kamra, who faces three police cases and has received interim protection from arrest from the Madras High Court, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his regret. He offered to arrange a vacation anywhere in India for the banker, stating, “I am deeply sorry for the inconvenience that attending my show has caused to you. Please email me so that I can schedule your next vacation anywhere you’d like in India.”
The incident has further fueled the ongoing political debate surrounding Kamra’s show. The opposition has criticized the government’s actions as an attack on freedom of speech, while the ruling NDA government maintains that recklessness in the name of freedom will not be tolerated.
First Piper 