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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.

Xi urges EU to stand with China against ‘unilateral bullying’



Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called on the European Union to work together with China to stand against what he described as "unilateral bullying."


During a meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing, Xi emphasized the importance of stronger cooperation between China and the EU, especially in light of the ongoing trade tensions with the United States.


As reported by the state-run Xinhua news agency, Xi said, "China and Europe should fulfil their international responsibilities... and jointly resist unilateral bullying practices."


At the same time, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that while China does not want a trade war, it is not afraid of one either.


“Tariff and trade wars have no winners. China does not want to fight these wars but is not scared of them,” Lin said, according to the Global Times.


He also criticized the US approach, saying, “If the US truly wants to resolve issues through dialogue, it must stop applying extreme pressure and acting recklessly. These tactics do not work on China. Any dialogue must be based on equality, mutual respect, and reciprocity. If the US insists on continuing a tariff and trade war, China's response will continue to the end.”


Lin added that China is a responsible global player.


“Our countermeasures against US bullying are not only about safeguarding China's legitimate rights and interests, but also about defending international rules and order, safeguarding the common interests of all countries as well as global fairness and justice,” he said.


Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday described the US decision to reduce tariffs on the EU to 10 percent as a "fragile pause." He urged Europe to use all tools available to protect itself.


“The partial suspension of American tariffs for 90 days sends out a signal and leaves the door open for talks. But this pause is a fragile one,” Macron wrote on X, according to The Guardian.


“Fragile, because the 25% tariffs on steel, aluminum and automobiles and the 10% tariffs on all other products are still in place,” he added.

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