FIR against Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member for ‘false’ claim regarding Kunal Kamra show

Published 7 August 2026 · local

Bengaluru police have booked Mohan Gowda of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti for allegedly spreading misinformation on social media in connection with the shifting of comedian Kunal

Bengaluru police have booked Mohan Gowda of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti for allegedly spreading misinformation on social media in connection with the shifting of comedian Kunal Kamra’s show from Whitefield in east Bengaluru. The FIR was filed after a police constable tasked with monitoring social media at the Whitefield police station found Mohan Gowda’s remarks, shared on social media platforms, to be misleading and fabricated. The constable stated that Mohan Gowda had filmed a video on the premises of Whitefield police station claiming that the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti had demanded that Kunal Kamra’s show be stopped and that the inspector had assured action, which was false.

According to the FIR, Mohan Gowda, in the video, said that the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti had demanded cancellation of the show, alleging that the ‘controversial’ comedian had, in all his past shows, insulted the Hindu religion and spoken obscenely about Hindu deities and Lord Ram. “He (Gowda) said that the inspector had assured them of taking action against the organiser and the comedian. He also claimed that the inspector had assured to cancel the show,” the complainant stated. “Further, he claimed that his group’s protest had stopped similar shows in the past,” the officer added. In addition, after Kunal Kamra’s shows were shifted, Mohan Gowda took to social media to share the group’s earlier petition urging police to cancel the show, stating: “Huge victory for Hindu unity — Bengaluru comedy show of Kunal Kamra, who has a background of insulting Hindu deities and culture, cancelled after facing strong opposition from Hindus in Whitefield”.

A senior police officer told The Hindu that the Whitefield inspector had not assured Mohan Gowda of taking action against the organiser and Kunal Kamra, nor had he told Mohan Gowda that the show would be stopped. According to the officer, the show was cancelled by the organiser. “Whatever the claims made by Mohan Gowda, which also cite the police inspector, are far from the truth and

completely misleading,” the officer said. Taking note of the development, the constable registered a complaint, which resulted in an FIR being filed on August 4. The police have invoked Section 217 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (false information, with intent to cause a public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person) and Section 353(2), which deals with statements conducive to public mischief.