Arrested influencer 'denied' basic amenities in jail, petition filed in Kolkata court
The Kolkata Police had arrested Sharmishtha Panoli from Haryana's Gurugram on Friday night for allegedly uploading a video with communal comments claiming Bollywood actors were silent on Operation Sindoor.
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Hindustan Times
30 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Sharmistha Panoli gets bail from Calcutta HC on three conditions. What are they?
The Calcutta high court on Thursday granted bail to social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli, who had been arrested due to her purportedly controversial remarks about Operation Sindoor. A bench of Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury held that the complaint against her does not disclose any cognisable offence, according to PTI. The court, while granting bail to her, also imposed certain conditions. Justice Chowdhury ordered that she be enlarged on bail bond and security of ₹10,000, and directed her to cooperate with the investigation into the case. The court also directed her not to leave the country without its permission. 'She has got bail on 3 conditions, that she will surrender her passport, she will join the investigation and sign a bail is happening right now in the country is wrong. You just arrest speak what they see, their exposure is she said, she said it based on the videos she saw," advocate DP Singh, lawyer of Sharmistha Panoli, told ANI. Also Read | Instagram influencer Sharmishta Panoli's lawyer claims poor hygiene in Kolkata jail: 'She has kidney stones' "These children don't know is a fight between India and Pakistan, and they are just defending their country, so in such a they post a video like that of 5-10 seconds, is it even wrong? She is a victim of circumstances...a whole community has stood up against is not like a riot took place because of what she said, so why is she being punished?' he added. The 22-year-old was arrested by the Kolkata Police last week from Gurugram in Haryana. She is accused of hurting religious sentiments through her 'communal' comments in a video on her social media. In the video, she had made remarks criticising Bollywood actors on Operation Sindoor. After facing backlash, Panoli deleted the post and issued an apology. Also Read | 'Hate speech unacceptable': TMC leader Kunal Ghosh after Sharmistha Panoli denied interim bail Her arrest led to a political row in West Bengal, with the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) describing Sharmishta Panoli's arrest as 'selective enforcement' and accusing the Kolkata Police of acting in 'uncharacteristic haste'. Earlier this week, the court denied interim bail to Panoli, citing that freedom of speech does not mean one can hurt the sentiments of another person or community. "Look, we have freedom of speech, but that doesn't mean you will go on to hurt others. Our country is diverse, with people from different castes, creeds, and religions. We must be cautious by saying this. So, the day after tomorrow. Heavens will not fall," Justice Partha Sarathi Chatterjee had said.
United News of India
an hour ago
- United News of India
Sharmistha Panoli granted interim bail by Calcutta High Court; BJP welcomes it
Kolkata, June 5 (UNI) Pune University law student Sharmistha Panoli who was arrested by Kolkata Police from Gurugram for her controversial social media comments in the aftermath of 'Operation Sindoor' was granted interim bail by the Calcutta High Court on Thursday. The BJP welcomed it, terming her arrest as an example of police overzealousness. A bench of Raja Basu Chowdhury of Calcutta High Court observing that there is no need to take the young woman into custody for interrogation granted her interim bail on a personal bond of Rs 10,000. However, the court said that Panoli must cooperate with the investigation and surrender her passport. The law student, a resident of Delhi and studying law at Pune University, was booked at a Kolkata police station for making controversial comments on social media in the aftermath of 'Operation Sindoor' following which she was arrested from Gurugram. Panoli who was brought to Kolkata on May 30 and was placed before a court was given judicial custody till June 13. However, the law student challenged the lower court order and approached the high court where she was granted bail. The court observed that there is no immediate need to take her into custody for questioning. She may return to Pune for academic purposes, but must cooperate with the investigation. Earlier, the High Court had summoned the case diary from the state in this matter. It had also stated that the investigation of other cases filed against her in different police stations would remain suspended. Additionally, no new cases could be filed against her for the same matter. The court also clarified that while freedom of speech is a right, one cannot make remarks against any community. The incident originated from a video Panoli posted on May 14, 2025, in response to a question from a Pakistani follower regarding India's military actions after the Pahalgam terror attack. The video reportedly included derogatory comments about a particular community, and invited strong criticism, including death and rape threats aimed at Panoli. Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari expressed happiness over the granting of interim bail to Panoli. 'Justice has been served today - Sharmistha Panoli, a law student, aged about 22 years, has been released on interim bail by the Hon'ble High Court at Calcutta,' he wrote on his X handle. 'This is a case of police atrocities as an innocent young lady, for using her freedom of speech and expression, has been illegally arrested by Kolkata Police and was sent to judicial custody. This is yet another example of police overzealousness and eagerness to please its political masters,' he added. UNI XC RN
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Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Sharmishtha Panoli gets interim bail, court asks police to ensure safety
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted interim bail to influencer Sharmishtha Panoli, who was arrested in connection with a controversial social media post linked to Operation Sindoor. Panoli, a fourth-year law student from Pune, was arrested by Kolkata Police last week from Gurugram, over allegations of hurting religious sentiments. The arrest came after a now-deleted video she posted online triggered widespread backlash for what were described as 'communal' remarks. Following the controversy, Panoli, 22, took down the video and issued a public apology. Granting her interim bail, the high court laid down specific conditions. Panoli has been prohibited from leaving the country without prior permission from the Chief Judicial Magistrate and has been asked to deposit a sum of ₹10,000. The court also took note of Panoli's earlier petition regarding threats to her safety and directed the Kolkata Police to take necessary action. The plea had been submitted before her arrest. Earlier this week, the court had denied interim bail, with Justice Partha Sarathi Chatterjee stating, 'Look, we have freedom of speech, but that doesn't mean you will go on to hurt others. Our country is diverse, with people from different castes, creeds, and religions. We must be cautious by saying this. So, the day after tomorrow. Heavens will not fall.' The high court had also directed the West Bengal government to submit the case diary on June 5. During the hearing, Panoli's lawyer argued that the complaint against her lacked substance, stating that her comments were part of an ongoing digital exchange between Indian and Pakistani users during Operation Sindoor—a counter-response by India following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists. Her arrest has sparked political controversy in West Bengal, with the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) calling it an instance of 'selective enforcement". The party also accused the Kolkata Police of acting with 'uncharacteristic haste".
