Pune police on Thursday arrested activist and influencer Santosh Pandit – who regularly posts videos highlighting civic issues including potholes and damaged roads – for allegedly uploading videos containing obscene and objectionable remarks about a woman corporator and Maharashtra higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil.
Pandit was picked up at around 1 am from his residence in Pune and later arrested after a case was registered at Kothrud police station a day before on Wednesday following a complaint. The police said that they are examining the videos, their reach, and the circumstances in which they were uploaded and circulated.
The complainant Sarika Kamble said that she chanced upon a video uploaded on September 2 on the YouTube account of Pandit, 45, which had objectionable references. The video allegedly contained obscene and sexually suggestive remarks involving Patil and a female public representative, besides objectionable gestures and comments, as per the first information report (FIR). According to the complaint, the video had garnered nearly 4.53 lakh views.
Kamble also alleged that another video uploaded from the same account contained an obscene and objectionable remark concerning chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. That video had received more than 12.16 lakh views, according to the complaint.
{{/usCountry}}Kamble also alleged that another video uploaded from the same account contained an obscene and objectionable remark concerning chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. That video had received more than 12.16 lakh views, according to the complaint.
{{/usCountry}}Kamble further alleged that Pandit had uploaded objectionable and defamatory videos concerning Patil between July 10 and August 11 and again on September 2. The police said that the videos allegedly contained obscene language, objectionable gestures, defamatory claims and threatening remarks that could create misunderstanding and tension amongst the people.
Deputy commissioner of police (zone 3) Sagar Kawade confirmed that a case has been registered and Pandit has been arrested.
“We have arrested Pandit from his residence for a case registered under various sections. He was produced in court and remanded to custody till September 8,” said Kawade.
The case has been registered under sections 75(1)(iv), 75(3), 356(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023; along with section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Pandit’s arrest has triggered a political storm with opposition leaders describing the action as an attempt to suppress dissent and freedom of expression.
Pune city Congress president Prashant Jagtap condemned the arrest, alleging that the government is attempting to suppress the voice of people who raise civic issues.
“In a democracy, everyone has the right to ask questions,” Jagtap said, demanding that the cases against Pandit be withdrawn and that he be released. He also warned that the Congress will approach the courts and take to the streets along with social organisations if the action continues.
Former Congress legislator and advocate Yashomati Thakur too criticised the arrest in a post on X.
“I strongly condemn the manner in which vigilant citizen Santosh Pandit was thrown into jail at midnight in Pune, as well as the attack on Vidyanand Bapat. If sensible citizens point out the government’s mistakes, will they be attacked? Devendra Fadnavis-ji, no one can usurp the right to freedom of expression granted by the constitution. Devendra Fadnavis-ji, this rowdy behaviour by the ruling party’s office-bearers and the role of the police is unbecoming of progressive Maharashtra. We did not expect this from you. Take care of Maharashtra and put a stop to this thuggery in time,” she said.
The arrest is not the first police action against Pandit over his social media content. A case was earlier registered at Deccan police station in connection with allegedly objectionable remarks concerning Patil.
Pandit’s recent videos have focused on a range of political and civic issues. His last five videos were critical of Fadnavis, the BJP, the missing link project, the Katraj Chowk issue and NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule.