Kunal Kamra has put out multiple tweets targeting the Supreme Court and judges since Wednesday
Highlights
- Comedian criticised top court for granting interim bail to Arnab Goswami
- Tweets crossed line between humour, contempt: Attorney General
- Tweets are “gross insinuation” against top court and its judges, he said
New Delhi:
Stand-up comic Kunal Kamra faces contempt charges over a series of tweets criticizing the Supreme Court for granting TV anchor Arnab Goswami interim bail.
Attorney General KK Venugopal has granted his consent to a law student and two lawyers who want to sue Kunal Kamra for criminal contempt.
“It is time that people understand attacking the Supreme Court unjustifiably and brazenly will lead to punishment,” Mr Venugopal said in his response.
The comedian’s tweets were not only in bad taste but clearly crossed the line between humour and contempt, the Attorney General said.
“The tweet is a gross insinuation against the entirety of the Supreme Court of India and its judges,” said Mr Venugopal.
“Today people boldly and brazenly condemn the Supreme Court and its judges in what they believe is freedom of speech. “
India’s top law officer’s permission comes less than 24 hours after Law Student Shirang Katneshwarkar and two lawyers wrote to him.
Kunal Kamra has put out multiple tweets targeting the Supreme Court and judges since yesterday.
Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court a week after his arrest over the suicide of an architect, Anvay Naik, and his mother, two years ago. A two-judge bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Indira Banerjee pulled up the Maharashtra government over his arrest and said: “If we as a constitutional court do not lay down law and protect liberty, then who will?”
Kunal Kamra was banned by several airlines in January this year after he heckled Armab Goswami on an IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Lucknow. Since then, he has had a running feud with the anchor.
