The Crossbill News Desk
The Mumbai Police have informed the Bombay High Court that they are probing whether an organised campaign is behind social media posts made by British doctor and YouTuber Dr Sangram Patil, saying they cannot rule out an attempt to malign constitutional authority.
The submission was made while opposing Patil’s plea seeking to quash an FIR lodged against him and a Look Out Circular (LOC) that has prevented him from leaving India, The Indian Express reported.
In an affidavit filed on January 30, Deputy Commissioner of Police Raj Tilak Roushan said further investigation was necessary to ascertain why Patil, a British national residing in the United Kingdom, allegedly posted content targeting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including the Prime Minister.
According to the police, the posts could be part of a broader, coordinated effort to disturb public order and undermine constitutional authority, Bar and Bench reported.
Patil, an Indian-origin consultant with the National Health Service, arrived in Mumbai on January 10 and was detained at the airport by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch for questioning.
Although he cooperated with investigators and submitted written replies, he was stopped from boarding flights to the UK on January 16 and again on January 19 due to the active LOC, The Times of India reported.
The circular continues to bar his departure while the investigation is underway.
Advocate General Milind Sathe told the court that Patil had not fully cooperated with the investigation. Patil, for his part, has contended that the travel restrictions and continued probe have infringed upon his rights as a foreign national and his freedom of expression. Mumbai Police have not clarified when the LOC might be withdrawn or whether additional action will follow, India Today reported.
The FIR against Patil was registered on December 18, 2025, at the N.M. Joshi Marg Police Station following a complaint by BJP media cell official Nikhil Bhamre. Bhamre allegedly accused Patil of posting false and defamatory content against BJP leaders on Facebook.
In its affidavit, the police suggested that several social media accounts may have been operating in coordination. The authorities also claimed that Patil had not provided access to his digital devices, which they believe may contain crucial evidence, and said further inquiry was required to determine whether he had local “collaborators” in India.
Challenging the police action, Patil’s lawyers argued that the FIR and the LOC were “illegal” and “arbitrary”, maintaining that he had fully cooperated by appearing for questioning on three occasions. The plea sought quashing of the LOC, a stay on the investigation and permission for Patil to return to the UK, The New Indian Express reported.
The submission was made while opposing Patil’s plea seeking to quash an FIR lodged against him and a Look Out Circular (LOC) that has prevented him from leaving India, The Indian Express reported.
In an affidavit filed on January 30, Deputy Commissioner of Police Raj Tilak Roushan said further investigation was necessary to ascertain why Patil, a British national residing in the United Kingdom, allegedly posted content targeting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including the Prime Minister.
According to the police, the posts could be part of a broader, coordinated effort to disturb public order and undermine constitutional authority, Bar and Bench reported.
Patil, an Indian-origin consultant with the National Health Service, arrived in Mumbai on January 10 and was detained at the airport by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch for questioning.
Although he cooperated with investigators and submitted written replies, he was stopped from boarding flights to the UK on January 16 and again on January 19 due to the active LOC, The Times of India reported.
The circular continues to bar his departure while the investigation is underway.
Advocate General Milind Sathe told the court that Patil had not fully cooperated with the investigation. Patil, for his part, has contended that the travel restrictions and continued probe have infringed upon his rights as a foreign national and his freedom of expression. Mumbai Police have not clarified when the LOC might be withdrawn or whether additional action will follow, India Today reported.
The FIR against Patil was registered on December 18, 2025, at the N.M. Joshi Marg Police Station following a complaint by BJP media cell official Nikhil Bhamre. Bhamre allegedly accused Patil of posting false and defamatory content against BJP leaders on Facebook.
In its affidavit, the police suggested that several social media accounts may have been operating in coordination. The authorities also claimed that Patil had not provided access to his digital devices, which they believe may contain crucial evidence, and said further inquiry was required to determine whether he had local “collaborators” in India.
Challenging the police action, Patil’s lawyers argued that the FIR and the LOC were “illegal” and “arbitrary”, maintaining that he had fully cooperated by appearing for questioning on three occasions. The plea sought quashing of the LOC, a stay on the investigation and permission for Patil to return to the UK, The New Indian Express reported.
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