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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.

‘This Won’t Be Tolerated’: Fadnavis Slams Kunal Kamra, Demands Apology

Maha CM says Kamra misused freedom of speech, defamed Dy CM Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has strongly condemned comedian Kunal Kamra’s controversial remark calling Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde a ‘traitor.’ Addressing the media on Monday, Fadnavis accused Kamra of misusing his freedom as a stand-up comedian and asserted that such comments would not be tolerated. He also demanded a public apology from the comedian.


“There is freedom to do stand-up comedy, but that does not mean one can say anything. The people of Maharashtra have already decided who the real traitor is. Kunal Kamra must apologise—this won’t be tolerated. While humour is allowed, using it as a tool to defame our Deputy Chief Minister is unacceptable,” Fadnavis stated.


Referring to Kamra’s social media post featuring the red Constitution book, Fadnavis remarked, “He is flaunting the same book that Rahul Gandhi once showed, but neither of them has actually read it. The Constitution grants freedom of speech, but that freedom has its limits. The people of Maharashtra made their choice in the 2024 Assembly elections, and those who betrayed Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology were shown their place by voters. Comedy is welcome, but free speech does not justify derogatory statements.”


The controversy erupted after Kamra’s remarks about Shinde went viral, sparking protests from Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) supporters, leading to vandalism at The Habitat Comedy Club in Khar.

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