British Doctor Sangram Patil Stopped At Mumbai Airport For Posting Against BJP On Social Media, Days After Being Detained

British citizen and NHS UK consultant Dr Sangram Patil has once again found himself at the centre of a political and legal storm, after being stopped at Mumbai International Airport while attempting to return to the United Kingdom. The incident has raised fresh questions over the handling of the case against him and the continued enforcement of a Look Out Circular.

Detention and questioning by Mumbai Police

Dr Patil, who has been vocal in his criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party on social media, had travelled to India with his family earlier this month. On January 10, Mumbai Police detained him for questioning in connection with a Facebook post. The Crime Branch later clarified that the action did not amount to an arrest and was limited to questioning.

Following this, Dr Patil appeared before Unit 3 of the Mumbai Crime Branch on the same day and again on January 16, when he submitted a written statement as part of the investigation.

Stopped at airport despite prior intimation

Dr Patil had informed investigating officers that he would be returning to the UK on the morning of January 19. He was reportedly assured that the Look Out Circular issued against him would be withdrawn before his departure.

However, events unfolded differently at the airport. Dr Patil reached Mumbai International Airport early on January 19 to board an 8 am IndiGo flight to London. At the immigration counter, he was stopped and informed that he could not travel abroad due to an active Look Out Circular. His return journey was halted without prior notice.

Cyber crime case and Look Out Circular

The case against Dr Patil is being investigated by Mumbai Crime Branch officers Sharad Dharave and Milind Kathe. A case has been registered in the Cyber Crime Department under provisions of the Information Technology Act, based on which the Look Out Circular was issued.

Complaint linked to social media posts

The complaint was filed by Nikhil Shamrao Bhamre, a resident of Thane West and social media convenor of the BJP Maharashtra region. According to the complaint, objectionable posts were published on December 14 from the Facebook accounts Shahar Vikas Aghadi and Dr Sangram Patil.

The posts were alleged to be derogatory, misleading and hateful towards national leaders and the BJP, with claims that objectionable remarks were also made about a woman. Based on these allegations, the Cyber Crime Department initiated action.

With Dr Patil being prevented from leaving the country despite cooperating with the investigation, the issue has now drawn wider attention, including from political circles, intensifying the debate around free expression and procedural fairness.

Published on: Monday, January 19, 2026, 03:32 PM IST