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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.

Ex-Indian Naval ship to resurrect as first undersea museum, artificial reef

undersea museum

Mumbai: In a pioneering conservation step for the country, the Indian Navy (IN) has handed over a decommissioned ship to Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (IN-MTDC), to be revived as an undersea museum-cum-artificial reef, officials said.


The IN’s ex-ship, ‘Guldar’ (Leopard) - a medium Landing Ship Tank built in Poland’s Stocznia Gdynia Shipyard - was passed onto the MTDC last week (Feb.21) in Karwar (Karnataka) in a first initiative in India to use a retired vessel for ecological-cum-tourism purposes.


The MTDC will now take up the task of ‘scuttling’ (sinking) Guldar at a suitable location off Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, after cleaning it up thoroughly as per maritime and environmental guidelines, and securing all other permissions from various authorities.


Commissioned into the IN on Dec. 30, 1985, Guldar was assigned to the Eastern Naval Command based in Visakhapatnam till 1995, then positioned at the Andaman & Nicobar Islands where she served for 39 years, till decommissioning on Jan. 12, 2024.


During her heydays, the 90-metre and 10-metre wide, Kumbhir Class Landing Ship ‘Guldar’ sailed over 3,900 days, conducted 490 beaching operations to land troops ashore and participated in various operations and exercises both during wars and peace time.


The MTDC project to convert her into a sunken museum and artificial reef could boost marine conservation, increase local fish stocks, help create more jobs to boost the economy, enhance India’s stature in underwater tourism, with many adventure sports already thriving in Sindhudurg and parts of the coastal Konkan region.


Beyond conservation, such aquatic structures provide shelter to a wide range of organisms and undersea creatures which would rapidly turn into a thriving marine ecosystem that can be preserved for long, the IN can conduct diving training at the ship, besides other advantages.


“These sunken vessels quickly become thriving underwater habits for marine life like fish, corals, sponges, sea fans and provide new recreational diving and fishing opportunities, helps preserve the ship’s historical legacy, while fostering sustainable undersea ecosystems that remain undisturbed for centuries without significant maintenance costs,” an IN official said.


The official further explained that scuttling decommissioned ships as artificial reefs help preserve their memories for many centuries as each such vessel has her own history and exploits of the brave sailors who served on it.


“By transforming ships into undersea museum-cum-artificial reefs, their historical legacy is immortalised, allowing future generations to learn about and appreciate its significance in India's naval heritage. From an environmental perspective, it is recognized that sunken wrecks can play a crucial role in enhancing the local ecosystem,” the official added.


An established practice worldwide, ‘scuttling’ of retired ships as artificial reefs is considered an ecologically sound plus economically viable practice adding value to the local tourism industry.


The MTDC would conduct detailed site surveys encompassing various parameters before sinking Guldar off Sindhudurg coast, though officials decline to indicate a specific timeline to complete the project, though she is likely to be towed to the proposed resting site in a couple of weeks.


The surveys would include the hydrographic and oceanographic aspects to ensure adequate depth and avoid navigational hazards for vessels sailing on the surface, analyse the local underwater currents and potential wave heights to ensure stability of the artificial reef structure.


Care would be taken to keep it away from areas with sensitive ecosystems, coral reefs, aquatic grass beds or habitats of endangered species, busy sea lanes, etc., yet making it a feasible site for diving or training purposes, plus the water clarity to provide the right environment for reefs to mushroom and other ecological considerations.


The seafloor strength and stability would be analysed to ensure it can support the vessel’s weight without significant alteration over time keeping in mid local strength and direction of undersea water currents, and its ability to withstand storms.

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