Pune Sessions Court Grants Bail to Activist Santosh Pandit in Social Media Case

September 17, 2026 PuneTV Team 0 Comments

PUNE: Santosh Pandit Bail Social media influencer and civic activist Santosh Gajanan Pandit (48) was granted regular bail by the Pune Sessions Court on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The case involved allegedly objectionable social media content targeting Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil and a woman Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) corporator.

Additional Sessions Judge S.U. Wadgaonkar allowed Pandit’s bail application (Criminal Bail Application No. 4888/2026) after hearing arguments from both the defence and the prosecution. The court ordered his release on a personal bond of ₹25,000 with a surety of the same amount. Pandit has been directed not to contact the informant (complainant) directly or indirectly and not to tamper with any prosecution evidence.

Social activist Santosh Pandit | Screenshots via Santosh Pandit, @santosh_pandit6278/YouTube

Background of the Case

Pandit, a resident of Narayan Peth known for his YouTube videos highlighting civic issues such as poor roads and infrastructure in Pune, was arrested in the early hours of September 3/4, 2026 (around 12:30–1:00 a.m.) from his residence. The case was registered at Kothrud Police Station as Crime No. 361/2026 following a complaint by Sarika Kamble (36), a PMC conservancy worker.

According to the FIR, Pandit had uploaded videos and posts (including content dated around September 2, 2026, and earlier) containing allegedly obscene, sexually suggestive, and defamatory remarks about Minister Chandrakant Patil, PMC corporator Mitali Kuldeep Salvekar, and, in related material, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. A separate complaint had also been filed at Deccan Police Station by BJP corporator Sunil Pandey.

Legal Charges Invoked

Police booked Pandit under the following provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Information Technology Act:

Section 75(1)(iv) and 75(3) BNS — Sexual harassment through sexually coloured remarks.
Section 356(2) BNS — Defamation.
Section 352 BNS — Intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace.
Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 — Publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.

During investigation, police seized the iPhone allegedly used to record the content, its SIM card, and a tripod stand. After initial police custody (until September 8), a court remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody (around September 8–9), and he was shifted to Yerwada Central Jail.

Court’s Key Observations

After hearing both sides, the court clarified several points that aligned closely with the defence arguments:

The relevant video and post are already in the custody of the investigating officer.
The accused’s intention forms part of the investigation and the eventual trial.
The offences invoked carry a maximum punishment of up to three years’ imprisonment.
It does not appear necessary to keep the accused in custody merely to complete the investigation.
The apprehensions expressed by the prosecution (including fears of witness intimidation, interference with the probe, or repetition of similar acts) were based merely on suspicion and were speculative in nature.

The court therefore found no sufficient ground to deny bail and approved the application.

Pandit is expected to be released shortly after completing the formalities related to the bond and surety. The investigation into the case continues, and the matter will proceed to trial on the merits of the allegations.

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Image: “Signage of District and Sessions Court, Pune” via Wiki Loves Monuments 2022, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

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