Santosh Pandit Held! Pune Police Detain Activist Days After Being Booked Over Reel On Minister Chandrakant Patil - VIDEO Shows Late-Night Action

Pune: Social media activist and content creator Santosh Pandit was reportedly taken into custody by Pune Police around 1 am on Thursday from his residence, days after the Deccan Police registered a case against him over an allegedly abusive video targeting Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil. Videos purportedly showing police taking Pandit away from his home have since surfaced on social media.

Pandit Booked By Deccan Police

The detention comes after Deccan Police booked Pandit and another person following a complaint alleging that an objectionable video targeting Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil was posted on social media.

The complaint was filed by BJP’s former local corporator Sunil Pandey, 56, a resident of Bhandarkar Road in the Deccan Gymkhana area. Pandey alleged that the accused had publicly defamed Patil through a video uploaded on a social media account named ‘Rajkaran Express’.

According to the complaint, the video criticised Patil over allegations that elected representatives were ignoring issues faced by the public. However, Pandey alleged that the content went beyond political criticism and contained abusive and indecent language directed at the minister.

The video was later widely circulated on social media, reportedly leading to anger among BJP office-bearers and workers. Pandey approached the Deccan Police, alleging that the video had been created and circulated with an intention to defame Patil. Based on the complaint, police registered a case under Sections 356, 296 and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Assistant Police Inspector S. Jadhav is conducting the investigation. Police are examining the social media account, the contents of the video and the circumstances surrounding its creation and circulation.

Meanwhile, just days ago, Santosh Pandit had confronted BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar over his SUV allegedly lacking an HSRP while travelling on a road. When Pandit questioned the MLA about the plate, Padalkar called it a “Marathi number plate” and later asked, “Where is your helmet?”