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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.

Congress to challenge Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Supreme Court



The Congress party has announced that it will challenge the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Supreme Court. This was confirmed by Jairam Ramesh, Congress General Secretary in charge of Communications and a Rajya Sabha member.


Parliament passed the controversial Waqf Bill after it was cleared by the Rajya Sabha early Friday morning. The Lok Sabha had approved it the previous day following a debate that lasted over 12 hours.


In a post on X, Ramesh wrote, “The INC's challenge of the CAA, 2019 is being heard in the Supreme Court. The INC's challenge of the 2019 amendments to the RTI Act, 2005 is being heard in the Supreme Court. The INC’s challenge to the validity of the amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules (2024) is being heard in the Supreme Court.”


In the Rajya Sabha, the Bill received 128 votes in favour and 95 against, after the opposition’s proposed amendments were rejected. In the Lok Sabha, 288 MPs voted in support of the Bill while 232 opposed it.


Opposition leaders in Parliament argued that the Waqf Amendment Bill goes against Constitutional values and raised concerns about the government’s motives.


Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the Modi-led Union government for taking a “negative stand.”


Congress Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi warned that the Bill could be struck down by the judiciary. “They have misused their majority and forced the Bill through. If it is challenged, there is a strong possibility that the judiciary will declare it unconstitutional,” he said.


Singhvi also mentioned that the Congress party’s efforts to uphold the Places of Worship Act, 1991 are currently being heard in the Supreme Court.


Ramesh added, “The INC will very soon be challenging in the Supreme Court the constitutionality of the Wakf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. We are confident and will continue to resist all assaults of the Modi Govt on the principles, provisions, and practices that are contained in the Constitution of India.”

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