Mumbai, Jan 22: The Bombay High Court on Thursday issued notice to the Maharashtra government and other respondents on a plea filed by UK-based doctor and YouTuber Sangram Patil seeking quashing of an FIR registered against him for alleged objectionable social media posts against BJP leaders. Patil has also challenged the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued by the Mumbai police.
Justice Ashwin Bhobe sought the state’s response and kept the matter for further hearing on February 4.
Urgency flagged by petitioner
Patil’s counsel, senior advocate Sudeep Pasbola, submitted that there was urgency in the matter. He told the court that Patil, a British national of Indian origin, had travelled to India from the UK on his own and was unaware that an FIR had been registered against him.
State opposes plea
Advocate General Milind Sathe, representing the state, opposed the plea, saying Patil seems to be connected with the other post and he appears to be “not cooperating” with the investigating agency. Sathe said the state would file its reply within a week.
Detention at airport
Based on the LOC, Patil was detained by the Mumbai police on January 10 upon his arrival at the Mumbai international airport and was later prevented from flying back to the UK on January 19. He subsequently appeared before the police on January 21 and recorded his statement.
Charges under BNS
Patil has been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for allegedly publishing or circulating false information or rumours through electronic means that may promote enmity or hatred between communities. The offence carries a maximum punishment of three years’ imprisonment.
The FIR was registered at NM Joshi Marg police station on a complaint by BJP media cell functionary Nikhil Bhamre. Bhamre alleged that he came across objectionable and misleading content posted on December 14 on a Facebook page named ‘Shehar Vikas Aghadi’, targeting the BJP and its leaders, and claimed that the post was later shared by Patil to spread misinformation.
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Patil has maintained that one of the posts cited in the FIR was originally uploaded by the ‘Shehar Vikas Aghadi’ page, whose administrator he does not know, and was later deleted.
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