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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.

Raut demands protection for Kamra

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday demanded Central protection for comedian Kunal Kamra, facing flak and investigation over his jibe against Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, on the similar lines it had protected actor Kangana Ranaut in 2020.


Multiple FIRs were registered against Kamra for his "traitor" jibe at Shiv Sena head and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde during a show, leading to the ransacking of a studio by Shiv Sena workers last Sunday.


On Friday, the Madras High Court granted interim anticipatory bail to Kamra, against whom Mumbai Police had issued two notices seeking his personal appearance for questioning.


Raut also welcomed the Supreme Court order on quashing an FIR against Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi for allegedly posting a clip of a poem advocating the protection of freedom of speech and expression.


He said like Pratapgarhi, Kamra is also an artist, poet, and satirist.


"Kamra should come to Mumbai to put forth his point (before the police). The Centre protected Kangana Ranaut (fearing) that we would attack her. I demand that Kunal Kamra also get a special protection," Raut told reporters.


In 2020, a portion of Ranaut's bungalow in Bandra was demolished by the Mumbai civic body for alleged alterations when Uddhav Thackeray was the chief minister, triggering an outrage and verbal spat between the actor and Sena leaders.


The Centre subsequently extended protection to Ranaut, currently a BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh.


Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday justified the summons issued to the stand-up comedian, asserting that it should be done if it is required by the law of the land.


Speaking at the Times Now Summit in New Delhi, Vaishnaw said, “If the law of the land requires it, it should be done,” when asked if summoning of Kamra by the police was “too extreme” an action.


Vaishnaw said while the Constitution granted citizens certain rights, they were accompanied by some safeguards.


Kamra receiving funds from Saudi: Nirupam

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam has alleged that comedian Kunal Kamra is receiving funds from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries and for this a Fatwa has been issued.  


He said, “Comedian Kunal Kamra has been receiving funds from “anti-India” organisations abroad in violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). Now our party has decided to approach central agencies. Since when Kamra received the funds it is not yet clear. However, he has received Rs 4 crore foreign contribution from various donors in Canada, Australia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and America”.


“People who have been sending money are mostly from one community. Have they been issued a fatwa to help Kunal Kamra? This is a clear-cut violation of FCRA. Kamra has been getting funds from anti-India people and organisations. The central government should take note of this,” Nirupam said.

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