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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.

Trump optimistic about US-India trade talks 'working out very well', terms Modi 'smart man'

  • PTI
  • Mar 29, 2025
  • 2 min read

New York/Washington: President Donald Trump has described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "very smart man" and his "great friend" while emphasising that tariff talks between the US and India would "work out very well".


The remarks assume significance as they came the same day Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri spoke with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau to discuss bilateral trade, including the reduction of barriers to achieve a balanced trade relationship.


"Prime Minister Modi was here just recently and we have always been very good friends," the US president said in the White House on Friday.


The remarks came days before Trump's reciprocal tariffs on the United States' trade partners kick in on April 2.


"India is one of the highest tariffing nations in the world.¿ it's brutal, it's brutal. They're very smart. He (Modi) is a very smart man and a great friend of mine. We had very good talks. I think it's going to work out very well between India and our country," Trump said.


"And I want to say you have a great prime minister," he said.


During their conversation, Misri and Landau "touched on the growing bilateral trade, defence and technology cooperation, and issues relating to mobility and migration", the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in New Delhi.


US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the two officials discussed "ongoing efforts to reduce barriers to achieve a fair and balanced bilateral trade relationship" and strengthen collaboration in defence and technology."


US Assistant Trade Representative Brendan Lynch is currently in India and holding talks with his Indian interlocutors on firming up a bilateral trade agreement (BTA).


Prime Minister Modi visited Washington DC in February and held bilateral discussions with Trump. The visit came less than a month after Trump was sworn in as US President for a second term.


During Prime Minister Modi's visit to the US last month, both sides announced plans to negotiate a mutually beneficial, multi-sector BTA.


In the past, Trump called India a "tariff king" and a "big abuser".

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