Rahool Kanal, a popular Shiv Sena youth leader and once a close aide of Aaditya Thackeray, has found himself in the middle of a major controversy. He led a group of party workers in vandalising Mumbai’s Habitat Studio after comedian Kunal Kamra made contentious remarks about Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a stand-up performance.The attack took place late Sunday night, allegedly in response to Kamra’s parody song and his reference to Shinde as a “gaddar” (traitor). Kanal and several others were arrested soon after the incident, but a local court granted them bail the same day.AdvertisementDefending his actions, Kanal warned Kamra against criticising Shiv Sena leaders. Speaking to the media, he said, “This is just a trailer. If anybody says anything derogatory about our senior leader or our elders, we will not spare them. Whenever you [Kamra] are in Mumbai, you will get a good lesson in Shiv Sena style.”But who exactly is Rahool Kanal? How did he and others ransack the Habitat? Here’s everything you need to know.Kanal’s decade-long association with Shiv SenaRahool Kanal, 39, is the General Secretary of the Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. His association with the party dates back to 2010, when Aaditya Thackeray founded the youth wing of the then-undivided Shiv Sena.Starting as a grassroots worker, Kanal was appointed the first district president of Yuva Sena in Mumbai. Over the years, he climbed the ranks, becoming a committee member and a close aide of Aaditya Thackeray.Editor’s Picks1What’s Habitat, Mumbai studio now shut down after Kunal Kamra’s controversial show?However, in July 2023, he parted ways with Shiv Sena (UBT), citing differences with leaders like Suraj Chavan and Varun Sardesai. He also expressed frustration over Aaditya Thackeray’s leadership. Soon after, he joined the Shinde faction and became a key figure in its Yuva Sena.AdvertisementDuring the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Kanal played a crucial role in the party’s digital campaign. As the state head of its social media strategy, he worked to counter allegations made by Thackeray’s faction against the government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).Bollywood & businessA well-known figure in Mumbai’s upscale locality of Bandra, Kanal has close connections with several Bollywood celebrities and sports personalities. His circle includes Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Anushka Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Suryakumar Yadav.AdvertisementHe even owns a restaurant named Bhaijaanz, which he has named after Salman Khan.Beyond politics and entertainment, Kanal is involved in philanthropy. He runs multiple NGOs, including ‘I Love Mumbai’, which focuses on supporting underprivileged communities and rescuing street animals. He has also been active in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.His influence extends to religious and civic institutions. He was appointed a trustee of the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust (SSST) in Shirdi and served as a member of the BMC’s education committee in 2017.Past controversiesKanal is no stranger to controversy.In 2022, the Income Tax department raided his premises in Mumbai as part of an investigation into an alleged hawala racket involving Shiv Sena leader Yashwant Jadhav, who was then the chairman of the BMC’s standing committee.AdvertisementHowever, sources told The Indian Express that the searches did not establish any links between Kanal and Jadhav’s case. Instead, they were related to a separate instance of suspected tax evasion.IT raids outside Rahool Kanal’s house. File image/PTIKanal was also drawn into the storm surrounding the 2020 deaths of Disha Salian and Sushant Singh Rajput.BJP MLA Nitesh Rane, who is now a minister, accused Aaditya Thackeray and his aides of being involved in the case. Kanal, who was named in the allegations, responded strongly. “Social media is a responsible platform. I won’t bow down to the irresponsible online bullying from anyone. Taking the legal recourse as my lawyer…will be serving the defamation notice to Mr Rane on his unwarranted allegations,” he said.AdvertisementHis involvement in the Kunal Kamra caseThe controversy erupted after comedian
Kunal Kamra performed a satirical routine at Mumbai’s Habitat Studio, taking jabs at Eknath Shinde. During his set, Kamra referred to the deputy chief minister as a “gaddar” (traitor) and delivered a parody of a famous song from the film Dil To Pagal Hai.His performance touched upon Maharashtra’s shifting political landscape, particularly the divisions within Shiv Sena and the NCP. At one point, Kamra sang, “Meri nazar se tum dekho to gaddar nazar wo aaye. Haaye,” mocking the factional splits.This did not sit well with members of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction). In retaliation, a mob of around 20 party workers, led by Rahool Kanal,
stormed the Habitat Studio on Sunday night, vandalising the venue and causing significant damage.Around 20 party workers, led by Rahool Kanal,The Habitat club, located in Mumbai’s Khar, was established in 2016 by Balraj Singh Ghai, a Mumbai-based businessman. His Instagram bio describes him as someone who “loves people who use talent for nonsense.”Mumbai police acted swiftly, arresting 12 individuals involved in the attack, including Kanal. They identified 19 people in the FIR, while 15 to 20 others who participated in the ransacking remain unidentified.Following their arrest, Kanal and the others were presented before a magistrate’s court in Bandra. Initially, they were remanded to 14-day judicial custody. However, they later applied for bail and were released upon furnishing a cash bond of Rs 15,000 each.‘This is just a trailer, picture abhi baaki hai’After the FIR was filed against Kanal and his associates, he issued a direct warning to Kamra, vowing retaliation.“We had complained, we had also called the owner (of Habitat set) and told him that there had been 6 FIRs against this place in the past… Our message for Kunal Kamra is that we will teach him a lesson for what he did, but this is a paid conspiracy, and the Mumbai police is capable of exposing it,” Kanal told ANI.He doubled down on his stance with a strongly worded message: “Abhi tak toh ye trailer hai, picture abhi baaki hai.”Defending the attack, Kanal insisted that it wasn’t about breaking the law but about “self-respect.”“It is not about taking any law in your hands. It is purely about your self-respect. When it comes to elders or respectable citizens of the country… when your elders are targeted, you will target someone of that mentality… The message (for Kunal Kamra) is clear, ‘Abhi tak toh ye trailer hai, picture abhi baaki hai.’ Whenever you are in Mumbai, you will get a good lesson in Shiv Sena style,” he added.Despite the threats,
Kamra has refused to back down. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “I will not apologise. I don’t fear this mob, and I will not be hiding under my bed, waiting for this to die down.”With input from agenciesMore from Explainers
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