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UK Doctor's Flight Home: Bombay HC Eases LOC Grip in Modi Posts Case
In a swift courtroom drama blending free speech tensions and professional peril, the on , directed Maharashtra authorities to tweak a against Dr. Sangram Patil. The UK-based doctor and YouTuber, a British national of Indian origin, can now jet back to his job—provided he and his parents pledge full cooperation with 's probe into alleged inflammatory Facebook posts targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders.
Single-judge bench of Justice Ashwin D. Bhobe greenlit the modification by , accepting personal undertakings after heated hearings marked by procedural urgency and .
From Viral Posts to Visa Nightmare
The saga ignited in when in Mumbai registered an against Patil. It stemmed from complaints that a Facebook page, "Shehar Vasis Aghadi," peddled "disinformation and falsehoods" about the BJP and its top brass, including PM Modi. Patil, visiting India since , was slapped with an LOC (dated , updated January 10), blocking his return and jeopardizing his NHS consultancy.
Facing job loss, Patil filed Criminal Writ Petition No. 1409 of 2026, seeking to quash the and LOC. The court admitted the petition on , amid reports of delayed forensic analysis stalling the investigation.
Petitioner's Regret and Return Plea
Dr. Patil's counsel, led by Senior Advocate Rajiv Shakdher , highlighted the doctor's clean record and employment stakes. In an , Patil reflected:
“On reflection, I realise that the language used in the said post may be perceived as harsh and inappropriate. I sincerely state that if the subject post hurt the sentiments of any person, I regret the same. This statement is made in good faith and without admission of any offence.”
Shakdher sought interim travel relief, offering Patil's undertaking—backed by his India-resident parents—to appear for questioning with 15 days' notice via official email and WhatsApp. No precedents were cited, but urgency underscored the NHS deadline.
State's Safeguards: No Blank Cheque
Advocate General Milind Sathe , with Chief Public Prosecutor Shishir Hiray , countered that probes were ongoing but hampered by pending agency reports. Fair play acknowledged: if reports lagged beyond three weeks from , they'd back LOC tweaks. Sathe insisted on ironclad terms—Patil's dual emails/mobile, parents' guarantees, and explicit cooperation vows—ensuring notices hit specified channels.
Both sides converged: draft undertakings filed by Patil and parents (Gokulsingh Indrasingh Patil and Kalpana Gokulsingh Patil) satisfied the state.
Undertakings Accepted: Green Light with Strings
Justice Bhobe accepted the "" undertakings, noting:
"The statements and undertakings given by the Petitioner and his parents... are accepted as statements and undertakings to this Court."
The LOC modification was ordered, communicated by , freeing Patil to travel. No final merits ruling yet—full hearing looms post-eight weeks—but parties agreed no further needed.
Key Observations from the Bench
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On
:
"At the request of Mr. Rajiv Shakdher... this matter is taken up in the afternoon session."
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Petitioner's commitment:
"The Petitioner shall co-operate with the investigation in the present crime."
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State's clarity:
"Respondent No.1 shall modify the LOC... the Petitioner would be able to travel outside India."
Ripple Effects: Balancing Probe and Rights?
This isn't a quash—yet. But it signals courts' pragmatic tilt: safeguarding livelihoods amid speech probes, especially sans completed evidence. For Patil, it's job salvation; for social media watchdogs, a reminder that LOCs bend to undertakings. Future cases may cite this for conditional travel in political post FIRs, weighing expression against orderly inquiry.
As Patil preps for takeoff, Mumbai's digital policing tightrope just got a nuanced calibration.
