Why Was Santosh Pandit Arrested? Here’s What We Know About Pune Police Action

Pune: Pune-based social media influencer Santosh Pandit was arrested in the early hours of Thursday after Kothrud Police registered a case alleging that he had uploaded and circulated objectionable and defamatory content on social media. Police registered a separate FIR at Kothrud Police Station at 1:28 am on Thursday following a complaint by a Pune resident.

A case concerning Chandrakant Patil was registered at Deccan Police Station, while another separate case was registered at Kothrud Police Station. The case invokes Sections 75(1)(iv), 75(3), 356(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 67 of the Information Technology Act. According to the complaint, Pandit allegedly uploaded and circulated videos through a YouTube account. The complainant alleged that the content was objectionable and defamatory and had received a large number of views.

Pandit taken into custody around 1 am

A video purportedly showing Pune City Police taking Pandit into custody from his residence during the early hours of Thursday was also posted on his social media account. Police Inspector Anil Shivaji Mane has been assigned to the Kothrud case.

The arrest has also triggered questions over the manner and timing of the police action. Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) national spokesperson Anish Gawande, in a letter to Pune City Police, alleged that Pandit was taken into custody from his residence around 1 am without prior notice of appearance.

Gawande claimed that the offences invoked against Pandit carry a maximum sentence of three years or less and alleged that the arrest procedure under Section 35 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) had not been followed. He also questioned the invocation of provisions relating to sexual harassment and obscene electronic content.

These are allegations made by Gawande and are not established findings against the police or investigating officer.

Separate case over alleged remarks against Patil

Pandit is also facing a separate case concerning alleged objectionable remarks about Patil.

According to police, a complaint was filed at Deccan Gymkhana Police Station over a video circulated through the Rajkaran Express social media account. The complaint alleged that the video contained abusive and derogatory remarks about Patil. Pandit and another person were booked under BNS Sections 356, 296 and 3(5), according to reports.

The arrest comes amid heightened attention around Pandit’s social media activities. He has been known for posting videos on civic issues in Pune, including road conditions, development works and alleged violations of traffic rules by public representatives.

Shortly before his detention, Pandit had also confronted BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar over the alleged absence of a mandatory high-security registration plate on his vehicle. The confrontation was recorded and circulated online.

Why was he arrested?

Police have attributed Pandit’s arrest to the cases concerning his alleged social media content. There is no information in the material establishing that his confrontation with Padalkar was the reason for his arrest.

The sections relate to allegations of sexually coloured remarks (BNS 75(1)(iv) and 75(3)), defamation (BNS 356(2)), intentional insult intended to provoke a breach of peace (BNS 352), and publishing or transmitting obscene material online (IT Act Section 67). These are allegations in the case and not proven offences.

Gawande, meanwhile, alleged that Pandit’s criticism of the government and his online reach were the actual reasons behind the police action. That claim remains an allegation and has not been independently established.

The investigation into the Kothrud case is underway.