Mumbai Police detain UK-based doctor for posting objectionable content

An officer said that Patil was given notice under section 35(3) under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and then was allowed to leave. (File Photo)

The Mumbai Police Saturday detained Dr Sangram Patil, a British national of Indian origin, at the airport, in connection with an FIR registered against him by a BJP party worker for allegedly posting objectionable and sexually explicit content against BJP and its leaders last month, while he was in the UK. Patil was later allowed to go after a notice was issued to him.

Patil, a doctor by profession who originally hails from Jalgaon, was returning to the country from the UK with his wife when he was detained at the airport based on Look Out Notice (LOC) issued by the police following the FIR registered last month. He was brought to the police station and allowed to go after a notice was issued to join the police probe at a later date.

An official said that as per Supreme Court guidelines, if the offence carries punishment of less than seven years, they avoid arrest and issue notice to the person to join the probe later.

The FIR was registered under section 353(2) of the BNS that stands for statements containing false information that would lead to feeling of enmity and hatred between communities. The section carries a maximum punishment of three years.

The content was blocked by the police following registration of the FIR.

The FIR was registered based on the statement given by one Nikhil Bhamre who is involved in looking after the social media accounts of the BJP and online activity related to the party.

In his statement to the NM Joshi Marg police station where the FIR was registered, he alleged that the post mentioned objectionable things and disinformation about BJP and its prominent leaders. The complaint further mentioned that it also had objectionable content regarding a woman.

He further alleged that the said post had also been published further by Patil with an intention to create misinformation. The complainant took screenshots of the post and approached the local NM Joshi Marg police station. Based on his statement an FIR was registered by the Mumbai Police.