British doctor detained in India over Modi’s criticism

NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Indian authorities detained a London-based British doctor of Indian origin at Mumbai airport this weekend over social media posts critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, prompting opposition leaders to warn of growing repression of political dissent.

Dr. Sangram Patil, a British national and medical professional who runs popular political commentary channels online, was stopped shortly after arriving in Mumbai with his wife early Saturday. He was held for more than 15 hours after authorities flagged his arrival through an immigration alert issued at the request of police, according to multiple accounts from opposition figures.

Patil was later released after being served a formal police notice requiring him to cooperate with an investigation at a later date. He was not charged or formally arrested before being allowed to leave.

The detention followed a complaint filed in December by a member of the ruling party, who accused Patil of posting content that was allegedly defamatory and capable of provoking hostility toward the government. Police officials have cited national cybercrime provisions and public order concerns to justify the action, though no violent or inciting conduct has been alleged.

Patil, a vocal critic of the Modi government, has built a substantial following online, with more than 400,000 subscribers on YouTube and tens of millions of cumulative views across platforms. His content focuses largely on political analysis and criticism of the ruling establishment, part of a broader ecosystem of digital dissent that has increasingly come under scrutiny in India.

Opposition parties described the airport detention as politically motivated and disproportionate. Leaders questioned why a British citizen was held for hours over online speech, warning that such actions risk damaging India’s democratic credentials and international reputation.

A senior leader of the Indian National Congress in Maharashtra said the episode raised serious questions about whether freedom of expression still enjoys constitutional protection in the country. Others described the detention as an attempt to intimidate critics and silence voices that challenge the ruling party’s narrative.

Civil liberties advocates note that immigration alerts and preventive police notices have increasingly been used against journalists, activists and online commentators critical of the government, often without immediate charges. 

They argue that such measures blur the line between legitimate law enforcement and political surveillance, particularly when deployed against speech rather than acts of violence.