Stand-up Comedian Kunal Kamra lands into fresh legal trouble over his satirical remarks on Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, with three FIRs filed against him at Mumbai’s Khar police station. The controversy has snowballed into multiple legal complaints, venue vandalism, and strong political backlash, while the comedian maintains that humour is his constitutional right.

Complaints were lodged by the Jalgaon Mayor, a Nashik hotelier, and a businessman, after Kamra allegedly referred to Shinde as a gaddar during one of his stand-up show.

Despite being summoned three times, including one for March 31, Kamra has not appeared for questioning.

Meanwhile, the Madras High Court granted interim anticipatory bail till April 7, after Kamra cited threats and harassment following his performance.

Amid political outrage, Yuva Sena workers vandalised the Habitat comedy venue where the show was recorded. Kamra defended the venue, saying it cannot be blamed for his content. He further clarified that the venue is not responsible for his material and that he alone is accountable for his words.

Yuva Sena is the youth wing of Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction.

In a statement and on X, Kamra slammed the media as vultures accusing them of being a miscommunication arm of the ruling party. “Your inability to take a joke at the expense of a public figure doesn’t change my right to say it,” Kamra said, defending his right to satire.

However, Kamra refuses to apologise, but says he’s ready to cooperate — just not in person, yet.

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, shaking parts of Southeast Asia and eastern India and causing large-scale devastation. The earthquake and its subsequent aftershocks, including one measuring 6.7 in magnitude, have resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 people and injured more than 2,376 across Myanmar and Thailand.

Myanmar reels under quake amid ongoing civil conflict

The epicentre was located northwest of Sagaing in Myanmar and struck at a shallow depth of 10 km around 12:50 pm local time. The tremors were felt as far as eastern India, China, Cambodia, and Laos. Myanmar’s military administration confirmed that over 1,000 people have died due to the quake, with rescue and relief efforts severely hampered by the country’s ongoing civil war and under-resourced emergency response system.

In Mandalay, major buildings collapsed, leaving behind mangled steel and concrete. Emergency workers and local residents continue to dig through rubble to rescue those trapped. The Ava Bridge, an almost century-old structure across the Irrawaddy River, also gave way during the tremors.

Thailand reports deaths, dozens feared trapped

In neighbouring Thailand, the quake led to the collapse of a high-rise building under construction near Bangkok’s Chatuchak market, killing 10 people. Authorities fear up to 100 workers may still be trapped in the debris.

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra convened an emergency meeting to assess the situation and coordinate rescue efforts.

International aid begins to arrive

Myanmar’s military junta made a rare appeal for global assistance, with General Min Aung Hlaing calling on “any country, any organisation” for support. India promptly responded, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing concern and offering help.

India’s Air Force dispatched 15 tonnes of relief supplies — including blankets, tents, medicines, and water purifiers — from the Hindon air base to Myanmar.

The United States and European Union also pledged support. US President Donald Trump confirmed communication with Myanmar officials and assured assistance, calling the situation “a real bad one.”

The Indian embassy in Thailand reported no casualties among Indian nationals and advised caution amid aftershocks.

The Kolhapur court on Friday extended the police custody of former journalist Prashant Koratkar till March 30, in connection with his controversial remarks against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Sambhaji Maharaj.

Koratkar was arrested earlier this week by Maharashtra police from Telangana after a phone conversation surfaced online in which he allegedly made derogatory comments and issued threats.

The case stems from a telephonic exchange between Koratkar and Kolhapur-based historian Indrajeet Sawant. The conversation, which Sawant later shared on social media, sparked widespread public outrage. Koratkar has been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for promoting enmity between groups.

During his appearance in Kolhapur court on Friday, tensions flared as a lawyer verbally abused him while he was being escorted out of the court complex. However, police confirmed that no physical altercation took place.

Koratkar had earlier been granted interim protection from arrest until March 1 by Additional Sessions Judge D.V. Kashyap. However, following the interim relief, Kolhapur police moved the Bombay High Court seeking cancellation of the order. The Bombay HC directed the local sessions court to examine the matter.

Subsequently, on March 18, Judge D.V. Kashyap rejected Koratkar’s anticipatory bail plea, leading to his arrest.

The defence argued in court that Koratkar is the sole earning member of his family, and prolonged detention would cause undue hardship. However, the court upheld the prosecution’s request for extended remand to continue investigations.