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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.

BJP to continue opposing Kamra’s “Fake Narrative”

Mumbai: Though the Shiv Sena appears to have soften its stand against comedian Kunal Kamra, the BJP has not softened its tone against him. Moreover, the party leaders say that Kamra is part of a larger network that has been spreading fake narrative and the party's fight against it shall continue.


Shiv Sena workers vandalised the hotel where comedian Kunal Kamra’s show was organized, yet the party’s approach against the artist has turned sober. The BJP, that rushed to help Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on the first day, on the contrary, isn't backing off. This has led to questions about the intentions of the party.


Shinde, on Tuesday said that while he doesn’t support the vandalism by his party workers he knows that some of the party workers are very sensitive and cannot be controlled every time. The Deputy CM also pointed at the fact that Kamra had been targeting individuals under the pretext of cracking jokes which is why he is always seen embroiled in some or the other controversy. While underlining that even airlines have imposed a ban on him, Shinde also stressed that freedom of expression doesn’t mean levelling baseless allegations and arbitrariness.


The BJP, however, isn't deviating CM Fadnavis' statement that spreading lies and defaming others for personal gains shall face action. BJP MLA Ram Kadam reiterated the argument against Kamra that he has crossed all limits and hence is being targeted.


“It is the arrogance of a foolish person who makes controversial statements only for publicity for which the studio where he made these remarks has been bulldozed,” Kadam added while justifying the state government’s action in the case and added, “If any other studio in Maharashtra allows him to perform and illegal construction is found there, it will also be demolished.”


Calling Kamra “anti-Constitutional”, Kadam added, “This kind of person speaks against the prime minister, the home minister and even the judiciary. These are anti-constitutional elements. Legal action will be taken against him. If he performs in any studio in Maharashtra, its illegal construction will be bulldozed.”


While justifying the party’s tough stand against the comedian, Kadam also accused Kamra of building his career on anti-BJP rhetoric. “He is not alone. There are many like him,” he added.


Another senior BJP leader, Vishwas Pathak too said that the party shall not bow down to anyone who is seen spreading fake narrative.  According to party’s internal analysis of things, the 2014 victory is attributed to young population that had grown up with the social media and party’s machinery that cleverly used the new media to expose the fake narrative spread by the nexus of politicians, media and urban Naxals. The trio, however, took over the social media during the demonetization in 2016 since when several likes of Kamra have popped up. The party is not opposed to entertainment, parody or comedy. But, it shall certainly oppose any attempt to spread fake narrative, remains the BJP's stand which makes it clear that the issue will pull on.

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