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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.

Mumbai’s Saffron Siblings

Updated: Nov 15, 2024

Saffron Siblings

As the Mumbai BJP president for two terms, groomed by the RSS and a staunch BJP leader, Ashish Shelar would be an unlikely choice for those who don’t fall into the typical saffron-voter category. But Ashish Shelar is an exception. He’s won the confidence of his electorate, people from diverse religions and socio-economic strata. His office in the crowded Bandra Reclamation area sees a steady stream of visitors every day; people cutting across religions and communities, age groups and with varied requests. If someone complains of harassment, a hapless father is there to ask for money for his son’s medical treatment and a young businessman is there to complain against rampant tree cutting in Bandra. Shelar lends each of them a ear, instructing his office to follow up on the demands. For years, this has been Ashish Shelar’s routine, particularly since he first won the legislative assembly elections in 2014 and has continued his winning spree since then. Before that, Shelar has been a member of the legislative council and was also a corporator from Khar who took a keen interest in resolving civic issues.


His constituency is peculiar in the varied demographics—upscale tony neighbourhoods that house leading film stars and business families, fishing villages, slums and middle class homes, each with its varied needs. In 2019, he was made Minister of School Education, Sports and Youth Welfare for a short period in the Devendra Fadnavis government.


Most residents of Bandra West credit him with organising social events and festivals that celebrate music and the arts. His neighbourhood winter festival and the grand Christmas decorations along the sea at Bandra Reclamation have won the attention of people across Mumbai. An avid sports lover, he’s held the position of the President of the Mumbai Cricket Association and also the treasurer of the BCCI.


This time, his older brother Vinod is contesting from Malad West. He’s been a corporator between 2012 and 2017 and while he was overlooked by the party for the legislative assembly elections in 2014, Vinod has been working in the constituency for the past decade. He’s also a spokesperson of the BJP.


The Shelar brothers are among the siblings who are contesting the elections this time.

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