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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.

Uddhav assures free education, scrapping of Dharavi project

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday unveiled his party’s manifesto for the Maharashtra assembly polls, assuring free education for male students, stabilising prices of essential items and scrapping of the Dharavi redevelopment project.


Thackeray, while releasing the manifesto at his residence ‘Matoshree’ in Mumbai, said most of the poll promises are part of the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) overall assurances, but there are some points which need special attention.


Thackeray said every district will have a temple of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.


He also promised to implement the Old Pension Scheme and remove the cap of 50 per cent reservation.

Thackeray assured that the way female students in the state were getting free education under a government policy, it will be implemented for male students as well, if the MVA comes to power.


He also promised free travel for women in public transport buses.


Apart from recruiting 18,000 women in state’s police force, Thackeray said all female police stations will also be established in Maharashtra.


The MVA will also keep stable the prices of essential commodities, he said.


On the Dharavi redevelopment project, the former chief minister said it will be scrapped as the project will have ramifications on Mumbai.


Maharashtra and Mumbai will also have a housing policy keeping the rapid urbanisation in mind, he said.


Affordable houses will be built for “sons of the soil” in urban, semi-urban and rural areas, he added.

Thackeray also said if the MVA comes to power, it will scrap cluster development of Koliwadas (fishing community settlements) and Gaothans (villages) and their development will be done after taking the residents into confidence.


On generating employment, the Sena (UBT) head said his party will work towards creating jobs. Job fairs will be held in each district every three months, he added.


Thackeray also said that an International Finance Centre will be established in the state.


No campaign in Mahim

Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday said there was no need to campaign for his party candidate in Mahim, a seat where his estranged cousin Raj Thackeray’s son Amit and ruling Shiv Sena’s Sadanand Sarvankar are in the fray. He said there was lack of time to hold a rally in each and every constituency of the state. He, however, said the party has approached the authorities, seeking permission to hold a rally at the Shivaji Park on November 17.


“I don’t need to campaign in Mahim. It is my constituency. It is Shiv Sena’s constituency,” Thackeray told reporters here.


“We have sought permission because that is the last evening of campaigning. November 17 is also the anniversary of Shiv Sena Pramukh. Lakhs of Shiv Sainiks come there and they will also come there this year.”

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