Mumbai Police on Monday arrested Shiv Sena functionary Rahool Kanal and 11 others for vandalising Habitat Studio, where stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra recorded his latest video in which he referred to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as a “gaddar” (traitor).
A local court granted them bail the same day.
Mr Kanal, a prominent youth leader, led the attack late Sunday night, allegedly in response to Kamra’s parody song mocking the Deputy Chief Minister.
Defending his actions, Mr Kanal issued a warning to Mr Kamra. “This is just a trailer. If anybody says anything derogatory about our senior leader or our elders, we will not spare them. Whenever you [Mr Kamra] are in Mumbai, you will get a good lesson in Shiv Sena style,” he said.
Who is Rahool Kanal?
- Rahool Kanal is a social activist and philanthropist. He completed his Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Mumbai in 2005, as per his LinkedIn account.
- Mr Kanal was a close aide of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and actively associated with the Shiv Sena (undivided)’s youth wing, Yuva Sena, for over a decade. He was the Social Media In-Charge of Shiv Sena.
- In July 2023, Rahool Kanal left Shiv Sena (UBT) and joined the Eknath Shinde-led faction. He was appointed General Secretary of the Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
- He founded the ‘I Love Mumbai’ Foundation, where he serves as President. He was a trustee of Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust – one of India’s most revered religious institutions. He is a member of the Education Committee at MCGM (Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai). He is also the President of the Pickleball Association of Maharashtra.
- He owns Mumbai’s ‘Bhaijaanz restaurant’, named after Bollywood actor Salman Khan.