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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’s resignation to affect BJP-NCP relations

Updated: Mar 6, 2025

Munde

Mumbai: NCP leader Ajit Pawar was the first to declare support for Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister when it became clear that the BJP will have its Chief minister in the state after the assembly elections. Fadnavis too had showered praise on Pawar while stating at a public interview that his wavelength aligns with that of Ajit Pawar. However, big question is how Dhananjay Munde’s resignation will affect this mutual relationship?


Munde is said to be one of the key persons who brought Fadnavis and Pawar together. He was crucial in gathering support for Ajit Pawar when he first took oath as Deputy Chief Minister along with Fadnavis in 2019. He did that again in 2023 and was duly rewarded for that. However, that doesn’t mean that the BJP-NCP ties are dependent upon him. Praful Patel is said to have good relations with the BJP top brass in Delhi and he would take care of any problems that may arise between the two parties.


The real issue between the two parties is their relations in light of the third partner of the Mahayuti alliance, which is Shiv Sena under Eknath Shinde. The problems that his party colleagues have created for the government seem to be far too bigger than what Munde has done. The root cause of them quitting Uddhav Thackeray government in 2022 too is blamed on the then finance minister Ajit Pawar. Pawar is in the same role again and the government is under financial strain once again. This might upset many supporters of the Mahayuti government if austerity measures are enforced again and that may in turn cause problem to the government.


NCP was not confident of the support it will be able to garner when they decided to join the Mahayuti government under Shinde. Their morals are high after the success in assembly and they also seem to be convinced of the BJP’s growing power across the state.

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