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UK doctor detained at Mumbai airport over anti-BJP posts says ‘job at stake,’ HC to hear plea on Feb 17

The police, in its affidavit in response to the plea had claimed that probe against Patil was at "critical stage" and “the possibility of an organised effort to malign constitutional authority cannot be ruled out.”

2 min readFeb 10, 2026 03:04 PM IST

The Bombay High Court on Monday said that it will hear on February 17 a plea by a UK-based doctor and YouTuber Sangram Patil challenging an FIR and Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against him for allegedly posting objectionable content against BJP leaders on social media.

As the matter listed before Justice Ashwin D Bhobe of the high court could not be taken up due to paucity of time, advocate Ujjwalkumar Chavhan representing Patil sought urgent hearing citing that UK’s citizen’s job was at stake due to state action. The judge said he will “make an endeavour” to hear the matter on February 17, a date mutually agreed by the petitioner and the lawyer representing Mumbai Police.

The police, in its affidavit in response to the plea had claimed that probe against Patil was at “critical stage” and “the possibility of an organised effort to malign constitutional authority cannot be ruled out.”

Patil has sought directions from court to quash and set aside the December 14 FIR registered by Mumbai Police and also sought a stay on further probe and protection from coercive action pending hearing of the matter. He also sought quashing of LOC issued against him that prevented him from travelling to UK.

He was detained on January 10 upon his arrival at the Mumbai international airport and was later prevented from leaving the country.

Patil claimed that the FIR did not allege any incitement to violence, threat to public order, or disturbance of public tranquility.

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