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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.

Proving a point

Mumbai: The aggression displayed by Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde after the Kunal Kamra row was to prove a point to the Uddhav Thackeray faction that they are the real Sena which carry Balasaheb’s legacy.


A joke has turned out to be no laughing matter as Shiv Sena ransacked a hotel in Khar area, where stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra shot his show in which he mocked Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction has also filed FIRs against the comedian, demanding swift action against him. Moreover, they warned him of dire consequences, with one Sena leader even saying, “Let alone Maharashtra, Kunal Kamra cannot freely go anywhere in India, Shiv Sainiks will show him his place.”


After the rampage, news started doing the rounds as to why Shinde faction which is part of ruling Mahayuti has become so aggressive. The so called agitation at the studio is the style of Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena to revert back in such a manner.


Both factions of Sena have been engaged in supremacy battles right from the split in the party. Shinde camp is leaving no stone unturned to establish its strength. Kunal Kamra episode got the chance to Shinde Sena to show that they are the real followers of Balasaheb. As the BMC elections are approaching the Sena took this opportunity to take on the UBT faction.

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