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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.

Munde in retaliation mood

Updated: Jan 21, 2025

Munde

Mumbai: Food and Civil Supply minister Dhananjay Munde seems to be in a retaliatory mood. He has trained the guns on the BJP by making startling revelations at the party's 'Navsankalp Shibir' in Shirdi on Sunday. As the saffron party is leaving no stone unturned to throw Munde out of cabinet, he made the counter attack by disclosing past political developments. At the same time, he has even ensured patronage of NCP boss and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar by promoting his image.


Munde, who is at the center of controversy over the murder of a sarpanch in Beed, stated that during the early morning oath-taking ceremony on November 23, 2019, he had warned Ajit Pawar against aligning with the BJP. He mentioned that Sunil Tatkare was with them during the conversation. Munde further alleged that this move marked the beginning of a plot to push Ajit Pawar out of the NCP.


Munde’s reference was towards BJP’s herculean efforts to create the cracks in Baramati, the stronghold of Sharad Pawar and the NCP. It may be recalled that Finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman personally visited Baramati and addressed a public rally in the town.


Munde further said, “Since I joined the NCP, I have always stood behind Pawar. There were many attempts to portray Pawar as a villain. However, whenever someone attacked him, we stood by him and defended him. In 2019, I had advised not to take the early morning oath, but while they took the oath, I was the one who faced the consequences”.


Mahayuti government faces turmoil as Ajit Pawar is pressured to dismiss Dhananjay Munde over the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case, causing political tensions. Not just the opposition but even ruling BJP and Shiv Sena are demanding Munde’s dismissal. So far, Pawar has stood with Munde and managed to sustain the pressure mounted by alliance partners.


Addressing his party workers at the Navasanklap Shibir, Munde fired the first salvo at the BJP. He said that certain individuals were targeting him, particularly in Beed, and emphasised the importance of social harmony in Marathwada. Munde expressed his concerns about the deterioration of social cohesion in the region, particularly in light of the killing of Beed sarpanch. He argued that those responsible should be severely punished.


So far Pawar stood with Munde. The minister who is at the receiving end made a full-fledged attempt for the protection of Ajit dada even in future. Munde also spoke about his removal from the position of Guardian Minister of Beed. He revealed that he had personally requested both Ajit Pawar and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to assign the responsibility of Beed's development to Ajit Pawar.


Munde argued that, under Pawar’s leadership, Beed would experience significant development. “In view of the current situation in Beed, I had suggested to Ajit Pawar that he should take up the post of Beed district guardian minister. I had also made the same suggestion to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

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