Mumbai, 1 April

Police on Tuesday clarified no notices have been issued to audience members who attended stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra's show in Mumbai where he made critical remarks targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde without naming him.

A senior police official insisted they have not summoned any of the audience members who attended the show organised at a studio in the metropolis for inquiry or to record their statements after Kamra's jokes sparked a massive controversy and led to filing of multiple FIRs against him.

Angered over the remarks, workers of the Shiv Sena, which is led by Shinde, vandalised the studio late last month.

The 36-year-old comedian, on his X handle, had mentioned about summoning the audience for questioning.

A section of the media also reported about police "issuing" notices to the audience and opposition leaders latched on to the reports to hit out at the BJP-led Mahayuti government in the state.

The police have filed a case against Kamra under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to defamation and public mischief and as part of the probe.

The case was filed after the comedian last month posted a video where he sang a parody song targeting Shinde, who heads the Shiv Sena, with a 'traitor' jibe without naming him, but ostensibly referring to his 2022 rebellion against then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

So far, police have issued two summonses to Kamra, asking him to appear before them in connection with the case registered at the Khar police station, but he has not responded to them.

On Monday, a Khar police team went to his house in Mumbai's Mahim area, where his family stays, to check whether or not he would appear in connection with the case, an official said.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal accused the Mahayuti government of trying to turn the state into a'' police state'', claiming notices were issued to members of the audience who attended Kamra's show.

Citing reports, he said issuing such notices indicates an attempt to turn Maharashtra into a police-controlled regime.

"The government was rattled by Kamra's satirical poetry. Is watching Kunal Kamra's show a crime? Punishing the innocent, and letting the guilty go free is the Mahayuti government's policy," said the Congress leader.

Referring to the ransacking of the venue where the comedian recorded his show, Sapkal alleged vandals are allowed to roam free while innocent viewers are being harassed by police.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray also targeted the Mahayuti government.

"You have given notices to those who had come to watch the (Kamra's) comedy show. On one hand rapes are taking place frequently and riots are being engineered (in the state). On the other hand, notices are being sent to those who attended a comedy show," said the former state minister.