UK-based doctor stopped from flying out of Mumbai as lookout circular remains active

Key Highlights

• FIR OVER FACEBOOK POSTThe Look Out Circular stems from an FIR registered on December 18 at NM Joshi Marg police station in Mumbai.
• The case, now being probed by the Mumbai Crime Branch Unit III, relates to a Facebook post in which Patil allegedly used derogatory language and made defamatory remarks against the BJP and its leaders. The complaint was filed by BJP media cell functionary Nikhil Bhamre, who accused Patil of spreading false information and abusing party leaders on social media. QUESTIONED, RELEASED EARLIER THIS MONTHPatil arrived in Mumbai on January 10, following which he was stopped by immigration officials and taken to the crime branch for questioning.
• Police later clarified that he was not arrested but served a notice under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which allows questioning without arrest in cases involving relatively minor offences. He was released the same day after recording his statement. On January 16, Patil was again summoned by Crime Branch Unit III, where he submitted written responses to police queries.‘LOC WITHDRAWAL INITIATED BUT NOT COMPLETED’Patil claimed that he had requested the police to cancel the lookout circular after cooperating with the enquiry and informing them of his travel plans.“I gave my statement and requested the police to cancel the lookout circular since the enquiry was complete, and I was scheduled to return on January 19.
• The police had initiated the process to withdraw the LOC after January 10 and had taken my signatures and passport photograph for that purpose,” he said. Despite this, the LOC was still active when he reached the airport on January 19 morning, leading to immigration officials stopping him from travelling.“They told me clearly that I cannot leave India because the lookout circular is active,” Patil said. FREEDOM CURTAILED, SAYS PATILCalling the development disturbing, Patil alleged that the police action had restricted his rights as a foreign national.“I am a British citizen.
• My freedom of movement and freedom of expression are curtailed due to these police actions,” he said, adding that the legal provisions invoked in the FIR did not “correlate with my post”. Mumbai Police have not yet commented publicly on when the lookout circular will be withdrawn or whether further action is planned in the case.- EndsPublished By: Sonali VermaPublished On: Jan 19, 2026Must Watch Watch Live TV.