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...

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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.

Ashok Chavan: A Rocky Road Ahead

Abhijit Joshi
Oct 20, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Oct 21, 2024

The Congress party has been fortunate in Maharashtra, where political families like the Thorats, Shindes, and Gaikwads have remained loyal over the years. However, after the 2014 Modi wave, a few Congress loyalists such as the Vikhes and Deors gradually drifted towards the BJP or other factions. Despite this, the Chavan family from Nanded, known for their unwavering loyalty to the Gandhi family, stayed with Congress through thick and thin. Ashok Chavan, in particular, was a trusted leader within the party.

But things took a turn when the fear of ED investigations allegedly caused Ashok Chavan to switch sides to the BJP. While everyone knows this chapter of history, the bigger question now is: What lies ahead for Ashok Chavan?

The upcoming state elections will be a true test for Ashok Chavan. His internal and external battles are intensifying, especially with Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan contesting the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll after his father’s death. The situation became more complicated when Chavan’s brother-in-law, former Nanded MP Bhaskarrao Patil-Khatgaonkar, along with ex-MLA Omprakash Pokarna and Minal

Patil-Khatgaonkar, rejoined Congress after initially following Chavan to the BJP. After his resignation from Congress, Ashok Chavan was expected to bring political acumen and influence to the BJP. But so far, it hasn’t worked out. He couldn’t secure a win for BJP in Nanded, a seat that was once seen as a sure victory for the party. This failure was a major setback, especially when BJP’s leadership was unsure about other victories in the state during the Lok Sabha elections.

Chavan’s second challenge came when he failed to manage the Maratha reservation agitation led by activist Manoj Jarange-Patil. As a Maratha leader, Chavan was expected to mediate and calm the situation, but he was unable to do so, leaving the state BJP leadership dissatisfied.

To make matters worse, Chavan has not made any significant impact within Congress either. In fact, his own brother-in-law, Bhaskarrao Patil-Khatgaonkar, returned to Congress, signaling Chavan’s diminishing influence even among his closest allies.

Chavan’s future in BJP looks uncertain. His daughter, who has been involved in social work, is also eyeing the upcoming state elections. But whether her efforts will translate into political success remains to be seen.

1 Comment

Pramod Sawant

Oct 21, 2024

Perfect analysis.