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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

YouTuber challenges FIR, LoC in HC

Mumbai : The Bombay High Court issued notice to the state government on a petition filed by UK-based medico and YouTuber, Dr. Sangram Patil, seeking to quash a Mumbai Police FIR and revoking a Look Out Circular in a criminal case lodged against him, on Thursday.   Justice Ashwin D. Bhobe, who heard the matter with preliminary submissions from both sides, sought a response from the state government and posted the matter for Feb. 4.   Maharashtra Advocate-General Milind Sathe informed the court...

YouTuber challenges FIR, LoC in HC

Mumbai : The Bombay High Court issued notice to the state government on a petition filed by UK-based medico and YouTuber, Dr. Sangram Patil, seeking to quash a Mumbai Police FIR and revoking a Look Out Circular in a criminal case lodged against him, on Thursday.   Justice Ashwin D. Bhobe, who heard the matter with preliminary submissions from both sides, sought a response from the state government and posted the matter for Feb. 4.   Maharashtra Advocate-General Milind Sathe informed the court that the state would file its reply within a week in the matter.   Indian-origin Dr. Patil, hailing from Jalgaon, is facing a criminal case here for posting allegedly objectionable content involving Bharatiya Janata Party leaders on social media.   After his posts on a FB page, ‘Shehar Vikas Aghadi’, a Mumbai BJP media cell functionary lodged a criminal complaint following which the NM Joshi Marg Police registered a FIR (Dec. 18, 2025) and subsequently issued a LoC against Dr. Patil, restricting his travels.   The complainant Nikhil Bhamre filed the complaint in December 2025, contending that Dr. Patil on Dec. 14 posted offensive content intended to spread ‘disinformation and falsehoods’ about the BJP and its leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.   Among others, the police invoked BNSS Sec. 353(2) that attracts a 3-year jail term for publishing or circulating statements or rumours through electronic media with intent to promote enmity or hatred between communities.   Based on the FIR, Dr. Patil was detained and questioned for 15 hours when he arrived with his wife from London at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Jan. 10), and again prevented from returning to Manchester, UK on Jan. 19 in view of the ongoing investigations.   On Wednesday (Jan. 21) Dr. Patil recorded his statement before the Mumbai Police and now he has moved the high court. Besides seeking quashing of the FIR and the LoC, he has sought removal of his name from the database imposing restrictions on his international travels.   Through his Senior Advocate Sudeep Pasbola, the medico has sought interim relief in the form of a stay on further probe by Crime Branch-III and coercive action, restraint on filing any charge-sheet during the pendency of the petition and permission to go back to the UK.   Pasbola submitted to the court that Dr. Patil had voluntarily travelled from the UK to India and was unaware of the FIR when he landed here. Sathe argued that Patil had appeared in connection with other posts and was not fully cooperating with the investigators.

Ajit fighting a battle for relevance

Updated: Oct 30, 2024

Ajit

Mumbai: The NCP president Ajit Pawar on Monday filed his nomination papers from the Baramati assembly constituency. Significantly, this time around Ajit Dada made a tactical move, three common women accompanied the Deputy Chief Minister while submitting his nomination papers. Against the backdrop of precarious situations in the landscape of the state, this election has become crucial for Dada to maintain his political relevance.


It is common for any senior political leader to accompany their party colleagues and other prominent people from the vicinity while going to file the nomination. But Ajit Pawar tried to make it a strategic move by taking together women who are beneficiaries of the state government’s newly introduced ‘Ladki Bahin Yojana’. Under the scheme, eligible women would receive Rs 1,500 per month in their bank accounts.


For the first time Ajit Pawar was looking somewhat stressed. No doubt he put the brave face but many things were visible through his body language. After filing the nomination the  NCP chief got emotional while addressing a rally. Pawar alleged that the NCP patron Sharad Pawar had created a split in the family and fielded a candidate against him.


Apparently, Pawar has realised that his Nationalist Congress Party faces an uphill task in the polls. He recently said he did not have to ask for permission while distributing party tickets as he was the saheb (boss). It was a veiled reference to his uncle, Sharad Pawar, with whom he had parted ways in February last year. Ajit Pawar’s frustration level was so high that he asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah to make him chief minister if the BJP-led alliance retained power after the assembly polls, due in November. Ajit later denied the report, saying he only discussed problems faced by farmers.


Ajit Pawar has always shown a desire for power and a yearning for the next chapter of his journey to unfold. Prior to this election he has won all the elections by a sizable margin. This time he is pitted against his own family member. If Pawar loses this battle he will be irrelevant in the state politics.

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