The Mumbai Police arrested Shiv Sena leader Rahool Kanal and 11 others on Monday for vandalizing a Mumbai hotel where stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra made a controversial "traitor" remark about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during his performance. However, a local court granted them bail the same day.

While performing at the Habitat Comedy Club in the Unicontinental Hotel in Mumbai's Khar area, stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra referred to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as a “gaddar” (traitor) and sang a parody about him.

Angered by Kunal Kamra’s remarks, Shiv Sena workers, led by Rahool Kanal, vandalized the venue of his show on Sunday. The Khar Police have identified 19 people and named them in the FIR, while 15 to 20 others involved in the vandalism remain unidentified.

On Monday, the police arrested 12 people, including Rahool Kanal, all associated with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and presented them before the Bandra magistrate's court. The court initially sent them to 14-day judicial custody, but they later applied for bail. The magistrate approved their plea, releasing them on a cash bond ₹15,000.

After the FIR, Rahool Kanal said they would teach Kunal Kamra a lesson, claiming the incident was a "paid conspiracy" and expressing confidence in the Mumbai Police to expose it.

Sub-Inspector Vijay of Khar Police stated that members of the Shinde Sena's youth wing barged into the venue during comedian Rajat Sood’s live show, forced it to stop, and vandalized the set.

About Rahool Kanal

Rahool Kanal was once a key member of Shiv Sena’s youth wing, Yuva Sena, and a close aide of Aaditya Thackeray. However, in July 2023, he joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction and has been actively involved in its political activities since then.

A well-known face in Bandra, Kanal is also a restaurateur and a familiar name in Bollywood circles. He owns Bhaijaanz, a Bandra restaurant named after Salman Khan, and runs the NGO ‘I Love Mumbai’. Additionally, he was a trustee of the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust. His journey in Shiv Sena began with Yuva Sena, where he spent nearly a decade under Aaditya Thackeray’s leadership before switching sides.

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