Comedian Sunil Pal records statement with Mumbai Police over FIR for 'defaming' doctors

The FIR against Sunil Pal was registered under Indian Penal Code IPC Sections 505-II and 500 on the basis of a complaint filed by Dr Sushmita Bhatnagar, head of the Association of Medical Consultants.

Stand-up comedian and actor Sunil Pal recorded his statement at a police station in Mumbai on Thursday in connection with his alleged defamatory remarks against doctors engaged in Covid-19 management, an official said.

Dr Sushmita Bhatnagar said she came across a video on social media in which Sunil Pal was seen making derogatory remarks against doctors.

The Andheri police here earlier month registered an FIR against Sunil and summoned him for questioning. On Thursday, Sunil reached the Andheri police station and recorded his statement, the police official said. While arriving, Sunil said he came to the police station despite not being well as he respects the law.

The FIR against Sunil was registered under Indian Penal Code IPC Sections 505-II (statement conducting mischief) and 500 (punishment for defamation) on the basis of a complaint filed by Dr Sushmita Bhatnagar, head of the Association of Medical Consultants.

According to the complaint, Sunil made the alleged derogatory comments against doctors during a show on an entertainment channel.

In her statement to the police, Dr Bhatnagar said last month she came across a video on social media in which Sunil was seen making derogatory remarks against doctors. Dr Bhatnagar also accused Sunil of making derogatory comments against frontline health workers.

Sunil, in the video, was heard saying, "Doctors are a form of God, but 90 per cent of the doctors have taken an evil form, and are fraud. Poor people are being scared in the name of Covid all day, they are humiliated and harassed by saying there are no beds, no plasma, no medicine, no this, no that."