KEM college sends MBBS student Sejal Pawar home after viral Pranit More clip triggers massive backlash

Mumbai's KEM Hospital and Medical College has placed MBBS student Sejal Pawar on a 15-day compulsory leave and prohibited her from entering the hospital campus, medical college and hostel premises following the controversy surrounding viral clips from a stand-up comedy performance by comedian Pranit More.

The action comes after a preliminary inquiry conducted by the institution 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 considered unacceptable.

According to officials, the decision was taken not only as part of the inquiry process but also in view of concerns about her safety and well-being amid intense public attention and criticism on social media platforms.

Hospital authorities said the student became emotional during questioning and was continuously crying while her statement was being recorded.

Officials further stated that Pawar expressed regret over the controversy.

According to hospital authorities, the recommendation was made to help prevent depression or severe emotional distress arising from the ongoing public backlash.

The administration indicated that it was mindful of the mental health implications of the controversy and wanted to ensure appropriate support mechanisms were available.

The proposed panel will comprise a retired senior professor, a senior journalist and three faculty members from the medical college.

The committee has been tasked with examining the viral video, verifying facts surrounding the incident and assessing its wider implications.

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 additional action is required.

Officials stated that all aspects of the case would be examined carefully and that the inquiry would be conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

The institution added that it is closely monitoring developments and will await the committee's findings before taking any further decisions.

The videos triggered widespread criticism and led to complaints regarding 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.

"Hello, so I wanted to talk about this for a long time but my Instagram got suspended. You all must have seen my crowd work video for which I am getting a lot of hate and I think I deserve this hate because when I was doing crowd work with that guy he said a lot of derogatory things, but everyone was laughing at him so I got carried away," More said.

Describing the episode as a mistake, he added:

"If I wanted, I could have stopped him there, or I could have taken a stand, but what I couldn't do. I gave him a platform because of which these things escalated. So those who have been hurt because of this, I want to apologise to all of them."

"Whatever legal proceedings are being held against me, for that I am cooperating with the authorities, but I just want to request all of you... Please give me a chance, I will become a better person. This was a learning for me, so I am working on myself. I will also work on my content, and you will be able to see this in my future work," he said.

According to Maharashtra Cyber, the case relates to video clips shared on YouTube and Instagram that allegedly contained offensive remarks concerning women, consent and deceased persons.

One of the clips allegedly featured comments attributed to the MBBS student relating to deceased male bodies and medical cadavers. Another allegedly included remarks by Himanshu Jangra that portrayed women in a derogatory manner and trivialised issues related to consent and dignity.

The FIR was registered at the Nodal Cyber Police Station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde called for a ban on stand-up comedy shows and said she would write to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding the issue.

Responding to the debate, Fadnavis said freedom of expression must be protected but exercised responsibly.

"The Constitution of India grants everyone the freedom of expression. However, it also establishes safeguards to ensure this freedom is not misused. When expression becomes unrestrained, it infringes upon the right of individuals in society to live with dignity," he said.

As investigations continue, both the institutional inquiry at KEM and the cyber police probe are expected to play a key role in determining the next course of action in the case.