UK YouTuber quizzed again as he moves HC to scrap FIR, LOC

Patil, a British citizen of Indian origin and a native of Jalgaon, was initially stopped at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on January 10

MUMBAI: London-based doctor and YouTuber Sangram Patil was questioned for nearly six hours by the Mumbai crime branch on Wednesday in connection with a criminal case registered over his social media posts criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, even as he moved the Bombay High Court seeking to quash the FIR and cancel the Look Out Circular (LOC) that has prevented him from returning to the United Kingdom.

Mumbai, India - Jan. 19, 2026:Dr Sangram Patil at Nariman Point in Mumbai, India, on Monday, January 19, 2026. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

“I was again questioned on Wednesday for six hours. This was the third time. Earlier they questioned me on January 10 when I came to India, later on January 16, and today, on January 21. I have co-operated with the investigation and have asked them to cancel the LOC issued against me,” Patil said.

Patil, a British citizen of Indian origin and a native of Jalgaon, was initially stopped at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on January 10 when he arrived in India and questioned for around 15 hours, officials said. He was again detained on January 16, when he was scheduled to fly to Manchester, and was not permitted to leave the country.

A crime branch officer confirmed that Patil had approached the Bombay High Court. “The petition seeks quashing of the First Information Report and cancellation of the LOC,” the officer said, adding that the matter is expected to come up for hearing soon.

Patil said immigration authorities halted him based on the LOC, disrupting his travel plans. He said he had acknowledged making the posts, but maintained that they fell within his democratic rights and did not amount to promoting enmity or inciting violence, as alleged in the FIR.

The FIR was registered at NM Joshi Marg police station on December 18, based on a complaint by Nikhil Bhamre, social media coordinator of the Maharashtra BJP. Bhamre told police he came across an objectionable post while browsing online, raised the matter with party leaders, and then approached the police.

Police said Patil has a large social media following and had posted several allegedly defamatory articles and remarks about BJP leaders. They said he gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic and built a substantial audience across platforms including Facebook, X and YouTube.