Pune social media influencer arrested for ‘objectionable’ content against Maharashtra Minister Chandrakant Patil, woman corporator

PUNE: The Pune police have registered a case and arrested Pune-based social media influencer Santosh Pandit for allegedly circulating objectionable and defamatory content and videos related to Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil and a woman corporator in PMC on social media, police said.

The case was registered at Kothrud police station on a complaint filed by a Pune resident. According to the complaint, the accused allegedly uploaded and circulated objectionable content through a YouTube account. The complainant alleged that the posts and videos were defamatory and objectionable and had garnered a large number of views.

Subsequently, an FIR was registered at Kothrud Police Station at 1:28 am on Thursday under Sections 75(1)(iv), 75(3), 356(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act. A video purportedly showing Pune City Police taking him into custody during the early hours has also been posted on his social media account.

The investigation has been handed over to Police Inspector Anil Shivaji Mane. Further investigation is under way.

Maharashtra Police has arrested so called activist Santosh Pandit.

His video questioning a BJP MLA about HSRP plates and seat belts went viral two days ago. pic.twitter.com/mh8VOooyc8

— Facts (@BefittingFacts) September 3, 2026

Earlier, Pune City Police arrested a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) worker from Mumbai, Ashish Sable, in connection with the removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photograph from a college in Pune, said a senior police officer.

The incident took place during MNS leader Amit Thackeray’s visit to Government Polytechnic Pune college, where the photograph of PM Modi was, according to them was displayed alongside that of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Thackeray had allegedly asked party workers to remove the photograph.

Following the incident, a case was registered at Chaturshringi Police Station of Pune City Police against Amit Thackeray and 25 MNS workers. Two people were arrested earlier in the case. Ashish Sable was arrested by Pune Police in Mumbai and will be produced before a court in Pune on Thursday morning.

With Sable’s arrest, the total number of arrests in connection with the removal of PM Modi’s photograph has risen to three. (ANI)