Kamal Ghorui
MUMBAI: London-based YouTuber Sangram Patil on Monday claimed that he was stopped at the airport on Monday morning while he was on his way back to the United Kingdom since a lookout circular (LOC) notice issued against him by the Mumbai police was still active despite the process for its withdrawal being initiated. Patil could not take his flight.Patil, a UK citizen, was earlier detained on Jan 10 at the city international airport and questioned by the crime branch unit-III in connection with a defamation case lodged by BJP media cell functionary Nikhil Bhamre. The complaint alleged Patil circulated false information about the ruling party and made derogatory comments against its leaders. City police had earlier said that Patil was served a notice under Section 35 (3) of BNSS, which provides for issuing an appearance notice instead of arrest in offences carrying shorter jail terms.
Patil told a news agency on Monday that he was stopped at the city airport by immigration authorities who cited there was an active LOC against his name. The immigration officials informed him that he could not leave India because of this LOC, he claimed. Patil claimed the crime branch had called him on Jan 16 and he had submitted written replies to all police queries on that day.A senior crime branch officer told TOI: “We have amended the LOC from detention to ‘prevent and inform’ because investigation is going on. He has not given his mobile phone and laptop for the probe. The investigating officer had told him that the probe was going on and the officer asked him to postpone his flight. He (Patil) also knew about the active LOC.”“I gave my statement and requested the police to cancel the lookout circular since the inquiry was complete and I was scheduled to return on Jan 19. The police had initiated the process to withdraw the LOC after Jan 10 and had taken my signatures and passport photograph for that purpose. Despite informing them that I was returning on Jan 19, the lookout circular has not been withdrawn. I am a British citizen. My freedom of movement and freedom of expression is curtailed due to these police actions,” Patil claimed.
