KEM College sends MBBS student Sejal Pawar home after Pranit More’s viral clip sparks massive backlash | Today’s news
Mumbai’s KEM Hospital and Medical College has placed MBBS student Sejal Pawar on a 15-day compulsory leave and barred her from the hospital, medical college and hostel premises following the controversy surrounding viral clips of comedian Pranit More’s stand-up comedy act.
The action comes after a preliminary investigation by the institution has reportedly identified Pawar as the individual seen in one of the widely circulated video clips. According to college officials, the statements attributed to her in the video appeared inappropriate at first glance and were deemed unacceptable.
Student sent home pending inquiry
As a preliminary measure, the institution handed over the student to her family and suspended her participation in all academic and university activities for 15 days.
According to officials, the decision was taken not only as part of the investigative process, but also out of concern for her safety and well-being amid intense public attention and criticism on social media platforms.
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Hospital authorities said the student became emotional during the interrogation and cried continuously as her statement was recorded.
Officials further said that Pawar expressed regret over the controversy.
Mental health counseling recommended
The institution also advised the student to seek professional counselling, citing concerns about the psychological impact of the incident.
According to hospital authorities, the recommendation was made to help prevent depression or serious emotional distress resulting from the continued public backlash.
The administration said it is aware of the mental health implications of the controversy and wants to ensure appropriate support mechanisms are in place.
A five-member committee to conduct a detailed investigation
Meanwhile, KEM Hospital and Medical College has recommended the formation of a five-member committee to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
The proposed panel will consist of a senior retired professor, a senior journalist and three faculty members from the medical school.
The committee was tasked with investigating the viral video, verifying the facts surrounding the incident and assessing its wider implications.
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Officials said the panel has been asked to submit its findings within seven days. Based on the report, the institution and other relevant authorities will determine whether any further action is needed.
The college says the inquiry will be fair and transparent
The administration emphasized that it does not intend to draw conclusions until the investigation is complete.
Officials said that all aspects of the case will be carefully investigated and that the investigation will be conducted in a fair and transparent manner.
The institution added that it was closely monitoring the development and would wait for the committee’s findings before taking any further decisions.
How the Controversy Began
The controversy stems from viral clips circulating online of a stand-up comedy show featuring comedian Pranit More.
The videos drew widespread criticism and led to complaints about remarks allegedly made during crowd interactions at the event.
Amid the growing backlash, More released an emotional video statement on Instagram on Saturday, acknowledging what he described as an error in judgment during one such interaction.
“Hi, so I’ve been wanting to talk about this for a long time but my Instagram got suspended. You all must have seen my video about crowd work that I get a lot of hate for and I think I deserve that hate because when I was doing crowd work with this guy he said a lot of derogatory things but everyone laughed at him so I got carried away,” said More.
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He described the episode as a mistake, adding:
“If I wanted to, I could have stopped him there, or I could have taken a stand, but what I couldn’t do. I gave him a platform to escalate things. So to those who were hurt because of that, I want to apologize to all of them.”
The comedian says he is cooperating with authorities
More also said he is cooperating with investigators in connection with the case.
“Whatever legal action is brought against me, I am cooperating with the authorities, but I just want to ask you all… Please give me a chance, I will become a better person. It was a lesson for me, so I am working on myself. I will also work on my content and you will be able to see it in my future work,” he said.
FIR registered by Maharashtra Cyber
The controversy intensified after Maharashtra Cyber registered an FIR against Pranit More, Himanshu Jangra, Sejal Pawar and others for allegedly posting and spreading obscene and objectionable content from a stand-up comedy show held in Gurugram.
According to Maharashtra Cyber, the case pertains to video clips shared on YouTube and Instagram that allegedly contained offensive remarks regarding women, consent and deceased persons.
One of the clips allegedly contained comments attributed to an MBBS student regarding deceased male bodies and medical cadavers. Another allegedly contained remarks by Himanshu Jangra that portrayed women in a derogatory manner and trivialized issues related to consent and dignity.
An FIR was registered at the Nodal Cyber Police Station under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 along with Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Debate on freedom of speech
The controversy also reignited discussions about the limits of stand-up comedy and free speech.
Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde has called for a ban on stand-up comedy shows and said she will write to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the matter.
Reacting to the debate, Fadnavis said freedom of expression must be protected but exercised responsibly.
“The Constitution of India provides everyone with freedom of expression. But it also lays down safeguards to ensure that this freedom is not abused. When expression becomes unrestricted, it violates the right of individuals in society to live with dignity,” he said.
As the investigation continues, both the institutional investigation at KEM and the cyber police investigation are expected to play a key role in determining the next course of action in the case.
