Bengal: Political row erupts over the arrest of Sharmishta Panoli
Kolkata: A political row erupted in West Bengal on Sunday over the arrest of social media influencer Sharmishta Panoli by the Kolkata Police earlier this week for her alleged controversial post.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lashed out against the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in the state alleging that the arrest of the 22-year-old law student was 'selective enforcement' and the Kolkata Police acted in 'uncharacteristic haste'.
'Sharmistha Panoli, just 22 years old, has been arrested and sent to 14-day judicial custody over a video she had already deleted and publicly apologised for on May 15. There have been no reports of communal unrest linked to her remarks, yet the Kolkata Police is acting with uncharacteristic haste. This is no longer about law and order — it is about selective enforcement,' Amit Malviya, BJP's IT cell head, wrote on X.
She was arrested from Gurugram in Haryana by the Kolkata Police late on Friday night and was brought to Kolkata. She was produced before the court on Saturday. The court sent her to judicial custody till June 13.
'Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself has made far more divisive statements, which have had far-reaching consequences, including tragic loss of life and destruction of property on multiple occasions. Will the law be applied to her with the same urgency? India is watching. This isn't just a case in West Bengal — it reflects how a young Hindu woman is being targeted to appease a vote bank. Justice must not be politically convenient,' Malviya wrote.
Geert Wilder, Dutch Parliament member and the leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom, also took to social media to extend his support to Panoli.
'Free the brave Sharmishta Panoli! It's a disgrace for the freedom of speech that she was arrested. Don't punish her for speaking the truth about Pakistan and Muhammad. Help her @narendramodi,' he wrote.
Pawan Kalyan, deputy chief minister of Andhra Pradesh also slammed the TMC over the arrest while asking the police to act justly.
'During Operation Sindoor, Sharmistha, a law student, spoke out, her words regrettable and hurtful to some. She owned her mistake, deleted the video and apologized. The WB Police swiftly acted, taking action against Sharmistha. But what about the deep, searing pain inflicted upon millions when elected leaders, MPs of TMC, mock Sanatana Dharma? Where is the outrage when our faith is called 'Gandha Dharm'? Where is their apology? Where is their swift arrest?' Kalyan wrote on X.
Panoli later deleted the post and issued a public apology, but by then, an FIR had already been filed in Kolkata.
HT got in touch with at least three senior TMC leaders. None of them commented on the developments.
The Kolkata Police however refuted allegations that Panoli was arrested unlawfully or the police acted in a haste.
'All legal procedures were duly adhered to. All attempts were made to serve notice, but she was found absconding on every occasion. Consequently, a warrant of arrest was issued by the competent court, following which she was apprehended lawfully from Gurgaon. She was thereafter produced before the appropriate magistrate and granted transit remand as per due process of law,' the Kolkata Police wrote on X
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