Rush Hour: Kunal Kamra denies seeking panel adjournment, FIR against film ‘Ghooskhor Pandat’ & more
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Comedian Kunal Kamra denied reports claiming that he had sought an adjournment from a committee of the Maharashtra Legislative Council conducting breach of privilege proceedings against him. The head of the committee, Bharatiya Janata Party MLC Prasad Lad, was quoted by a newspaper as saying that Kamra told the panel he would not be able to travel to Mumbai for the hearing, which was initially scheduled for February 5. As a consequence, Lad said Kamra was asked to depose before the committee on February 17.
Kamra told Scroll that the MLC was “lying” and that he travelled to Mumbai for the hearing. He said that he had not asked for an adjournment and he is willing to cooperate with the proceedings.
Kamra is facing breach of privilege proceedings for making allegedly disparaging remarks about Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and insulting the state legislature in March. Read on.
The Uttar Pradesh Police filed a first information report against the makers of the film Ghooskhor Pandat for allegedly hurting public sentiments and disturbing social harmony. After the teaser was released on Tuesday, some groups criticised the film, claiming that its title allegedly vilified the Brahmin community.
They objected to the use of the word “pandat”, associated with the community and meaning a priest, alongside “ghooskhor”, someone who accepts bribes.
Director Neeraj Panday said that the term “pandat” had been “used simply as a colloquial name for a fictional character” and that promotional material of the film was being removed for the “time being”. Actor Manoj Bajpayee, who stars in the film, said that it was not meant to be a comment about any community. Read on.
The Delhi Police alleged that a “paid promotion” was behind recent reports about a purported surge in the number of missing girls in the national capital. The police made the statement after reports said that more than 800 persons went missing in Delhi in the first 15 days of this year, with women and girls accounting for two-thirds of the cases.
The police said that creating panic for monetary gains will not be tolerated and action will be taken against persons involved in the matter. Read on.
The Supreme Court refused to entertain a petition filed by former political strategist Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj party challenging the conduct of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. The party had alleged that the state government misused a cash transfer scheme ahead of polling to influence voters, and sought fresh elections.
The bench court criticised Jan Suraaj for approaching it after losing the polls. “How many votes did you get?” the bench asked. “Once people reject you, you use the judicial forum to get relief! Somebody should have challenged the scheme itself then.”
The party had failed to win any seat despite fielding candidates in 238 constituencies.
The court added that while it would consider the matter pertaining to the alleged freebies, it cannot do so “at the behest” of a party that has “just lost”. Read on.
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