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Travel vlogger Jyoti Malhotra, also known as Jyoti Rani, has been arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan. The 33-year-old Haryana-based influencer, who runs the popular YouTube channel Travel With Jo and has over 1.37 lakh Instagram followers, is accused of leaking sensitive Indian military information. She is one of six individuals booked under espionage charges. Jyoti had shared content from her Pakistan visit, including Lahore's Anarkali Bazaar, Katas Raj Temple, and local cuisine, often drawing cultural comparisons between India and Pakistan. Her videos and captions expressed admiration for the neighboring country, including one post titled "Ishq Lahore." According to reports, Jyoti came into contact with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a Pakistan High Commission official, during her 2023 visit. She later developed close ties with him and was introduced to Pakistani intelligence operatives.
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Business Standard
36 minutes ago
- Business Standard
LIVE news: Strikes on Russian airbases will 'undoubtedly be in history books', says Zelenskyy
Today's top news updates: On Sunday, Ukraine carried out one of its largest drone operations to date against Russia, targeting five military airbases located deep within Russian territory. "The Kyiv regime staged a terror attack using FPV drones on airfields in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur Regions. All attempted attacks on military airfields in Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur were repelled, and there were no reported casualties among military personnel or civilians," stated Russia's defence ministry. A man wielding a makeshift flamethrower shouted "Free Palestine" and hurled an incendiary device into a group gathered to highlight the plight of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, law enforcement officials confirmed on Sunday. Six individuals, aged between 67 and 88, sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious burns. The attack occurred as members of the volunteer group Run For Their Lives were concluding their weekly demonstration aimed at raising awareness for the hostages. The AIADMK announced on Sunday that the DMDK remains a part of its alliance in Tamil Nadu and will be allocated a Rajya Sabha seat in 2026. The DMDK had been pressing for a seat immediately, citing a prior understanding during the 2024 Lok Sabha election negotiations—a claim not publicly confirmed by AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami. In a related development, AIADMK revealed its candidates for the 19 June Rajya Sabha biennial elections: IS Inbadurai, secretary of the party's advocate wing and former legislator, and M Dhanapal, Chengelpet-East district presidium chairman and ex-MLA. 11:47 AM Maharashtra ATS conducts searches in Thane in terror case The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Monday conducted searches in Thane district, including at the residence of a former SIMI office-bearer, in connection with a terrorism-related case, officials said. An ATS team along with the Thane rural police started searches in the morning at Padgha village in the district, an official said. The residence of Saquib Nachan, former office-bearer of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), was among the premises searched by the ATS team, he said. 11:15 AM Bomb threat at Jammu railway station turns out to be hoax A bomb threat targeting Jammu railway station turned out to be a hoax after an intensive search of the premises by security agencies, police said on Monday. The hoax call was received from an unknown caller regarding the presence of a bomb at the main station on Sunday evening, a police official said. 11:13 AM All legal procedures followed while arresting female Instagram influencer: Kolkata Police Kolkata Police have dismissed criticisms that they have "unlawfully" arrested a 22-year-old female Instagram influencer for allegedly uploading a video with communal comments, and claimed that all legal procedures were followed. They defended the arrest of influencer Sharmistha Panoli saying that the case was "duly investigated and adhering to legal procedures". "Kolkata Police acted lawfully according to the procedure established by law. The accused was not arrested for expressing patriotism or for personal belief; legal actions were taken for sharing offensive content which promotes hatred among the communities," Kolkata Police posted on Facebook on Sunday. 11:06 AM RSS leader booked over alleged inflammatory speech in Dakshina Kannada An FIR was registered against an RSS leader on Monday for allegedly delivering an inflammatory speech that could incite communal tension, police said. The accused, Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, delivered the speech on May 12 during a condolence meeting organised in memory of a Hindutva activist and a known rowdy-sheeter Shuhas Shetty who was murdered in the Mangaluru on May 1, they said. According to a police statement, the programme was held at Madwa Palace Convention Hall in Kavalapadur village under the Bantwal Rural Police Station jurisdiction. 11:02 AM Airlines projected to report $36 billion profit in 2025: IATA Airlines' profit is expected to touch $36 billion, slightly higher than $32.4 billion posted last year, IATA said on Monday. Addressing the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in the national capital, its Director General Willie Walsh asserted that airspace should be kept out of trade wars.
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Who is Sharmishta Panoli, Indian influencer arrested over communal remarks linked to Operation Sindoor?
A war of words has broken out over the arrest of law student and social media influencer Sharmishta Panoli. In a now-deleted video, Panoli allegedly made communal remarks while criticising Bollywood actors, especially Muslim stars, for remaining silent on Operation Sindoor. The video led to massive backlash, forcing her to take it down and issue an apology. The issue has now drawn international attention after Dutch MP Geert Wilders publicly supported Panoli read more Panoli was taken into custody and sent to 14 days of judicial remand. Image: X The arrest of 22-year-old law student Sharmishta Panoli has led to a major controversy in the country and drawn attention from outside India as well. Panoli, who is also a social media influencer, was taken into custody and sent to 14 days of judicial remand after a video she posted was accused of hurting religious feelings. The incident has triggered a war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD ALSO READ | India's blackouts, sensitive info: What 'spy' YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra shared with Pakistan The matter gained international attention when Geert Wilders, a Dutch MP and leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom, publicly backed Panoli. So, who is Sharmishta Panoli? What led to her arrest? What is the entire row between the BJP and TMC over this issue? Let's get you the answers to these questions and more. Who is Sharmishta Panoli? According to her LinkedIn profile, Sharmishta Panoli is a fourth-year law student based in Pune. She started studying law in early 2022 and has also built a large following on social media, with more than 94,000 followers on Instagram. Panoli became well-known for her political content and opinion-based videos, where she often shared strong views. After facing criticism over her recent video, she removed all content from her Instagram, including her reels and posts. Why was she arrested? What is the entire row? In a video that has since been taken down, Sharmishta allegedly made communal comments while accusing Bollywood actors, particularly Muslim stars, of staying silent on Operation Sindoor. Kolkata Police said in a statement that her remarks were 'derogatory and disrespectful' and appeared to target a specific religious community. She is also accused of using abusive language in the video, where she criticised Bollywood personalities and YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia over their alleged 'soft stance' on Pakistan. She was later tracked down and arrested from Gurugram, police said. PTI The video spread quickly on social media, drawing criticism from many users. Some even sent her threats. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On May 14, Waris Pathan, the national spokesperson of AIMIM, shared a video that he claimed was posted by Panoli. He accused her of insulting Islam and trying to stir communal tension. In his post, he tagged the Home Minister and demanded her arrest. A day later, on May 15, Panoli issued an apology on X, writing: 'I do hereby tender my unconditional apology. Whatever was put are my personal feelings and I never intentionally wanted to hurt anybody, so if anybody is hurt, I'm sorry for the same. I expect co-operation and understanding. Henceforth, I will be cautious in my public post. Again, please accept my apologies.' Her comments led to massive backlash, especially from members of the Muslim community in India and abroad, who accused her of making offensive statements about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. A complaint was lodged at a police station in Kolkata, and an FIR was filed against her under charges related to promoting enmity and hurting religious sentiments. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Police said they tried several times to serve her a legal notice, but Panoli and her family could not be found. After repeated failed attempts, a court issued a warrant for her arrest. She was later tracked down and arrested from Gurugram, police said. On Saturday, Panoli was presented in an Alipore court and placed in judicial custody until June 13. As she left court, she said, 'The way this harassment is being done in a democracy — this is not democracy.' #WATCH | Kolkata: Sharmistha Panoli, arrested from Gurugram by Kolkata Police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through her comments on social media, produced in Alipore Court in Kolkata. — ANI (@ANI) May 31, 2025 Kolkata Police issued a statement saying, 'Some social media accounts are spreading false information that Kolkata Police has unlawfully arrested a law student for opposing Pakistan. This narrative is mischievous and misleading.' The police clarified that the case was filed under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). They also said Panoli was 'absconding' after efforts to serve her notice failed, and pointed out that under the BNS, hate speech aimed at any religion or community, especially content that could trigger communal tension, is a punishable offence. ALSO READ | YouTuber, student and more: Who are the 'Pakistani spies' arrested in India? BJP vs TMC over Sharmishta's arrest Several political leaders have spoken out in support of Sharmishta. Criticising the West Bengal government, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said, 'The action is only taken against Sanatanis. Everyone here has a licence to abuse Sanatana… This is appeasement politics. A certain community is their vote bank, and this is for appeasement." Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut wrote on Instagram that the law student's apology should have been enough. Ranaut wrote, 'She should be released immediately.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD #WATCH | Delhi: On the arrest of Sharmistha Panoli from Gurugram by Kolkata Police for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through her comments on social media, actor Kangana Ranaut says, "Harassing someone in the name of law and order is not good. When someone has apologised… — ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2025 Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan questioned the silence over remarks made against Hinduism. He asked, 'Where is the outrage when our faith is called 'Gandha Dharm'? Where is their apology? Where is their swift arrest?' Sivaganga MP and Congress leader Karti Chidambaram also raised concerns. In a post on X, he wrote, 'These interstate arrests for social media posts (unless it's clearly demonstrated that it has lead to a law and order situation) is blatantly a misuse of police powers.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi told ANI that those who hurt religious sentiments should face stricter punishment. He said, 'A law should be formulated against such people which gives a punishment of at least 10 years.' Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress defended the actions taken by the Kolkata Police. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said, 'Our stand is very clear — TMC will not support any post or activity that provokes someone or creates a division among society. If a legal action is needed, then that will surely be done.' VIDEO | On content creator Sharmishta Panoli's arrest over post on Operation Sindoor, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh (@KunalGhoshAgain) said, "Our stand is very clear - TMC will not support any post or activity that provokes someone or creates a division among the society. If a legal… — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 31, 2025 He added, 'We don't want to divide anyone on the basis of religion. We will not accept any such thing.' TMC MP Sagarika Ghose, in a statement to The Indian Express, said that freedom of speech cannot be used to justify hate speech. 'She (Panoli) has directly abused a religion. The Kolkata Police were acting on a warrant which they are duty-bound to execute. The notice was served, the family was absconding, the Kolkata Police just did their duty,' the TMC leader said. Dutch leader's show of support for Sharmishta Geert Wilders, a Dutch MP and the leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom, criticised Panoli's arrest and called it an attack on free speech. 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! @AmyMek #Sharmishta#IStandwithSharmishta #ReleaseSharmistha #FreeSharmishta — Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) May 31, 2025 '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 in a post on X. The post was accompanied by an image reading, 'All eyes on Sharmistha.' With inputs from agencies
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Life Term For Man Who Sexually Assaulted 19-Year-Old In Anna University
Chennai: Gnanasekaran, a biryani vendor convicted in the high-profile sexual assault case at the Anna University, has been sentenced to life imprisonment. He has also been fined Rs 90,000, a Mahila Court in Chennai read out the punishment for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old student last December. The convict must remain in prison for at least 30 years, said Judge M Rajalakshmi. The judge found Gnanasekaran guilty on all 11 charges last week, including sexual assault, rape, intimidation, and kidnapping. At least 29 witnesses testified in the case, and the police filed a 100-page chargesheet. He had earlier pleaded for minimum punishment, citing his need to be at home to look after his elderly mother and eight-year-old daughter. But in view of his conviction on all the charges, he must get the maximum punishment, the judge had said. On December 23, Gnanasekaran entered the university campus and attacked a friend of the teenager, and then sexually assaulted her. He had also filmed the act with an intention to blackmail her. He was arrested the same day. The sexual assault case that found closure after five months of trial had also sparked a massive row in December. Welcoming the conviction, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami had raised that the convict had spoken to a certain "sir" during the sexual assault. The identity of this alleged person remains unknown, with the police saying he had only pretended to speak to someone, and no one else was involved. During his questioning, the convict had also confessed to carrying out thefts at several houses in Chennai, sources had said, after over 100 sovereigns of gold and a luxury SUV were seized from him. The probe also sparked concerns over the survivor's identity being revealed through the FIR that was easily accessible online. Indian law protects the identity of sexual assault survivors to prevent social stigma. The police had denied leaking the details and blamed the centrally administered police website for not restricting sensitive information. Slamming the police investigation, the court had formed a women-only Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the sexual assault case as well as the alleged FIR leak. Calling the leak a serious lapse, it had directed the government to provide Rs 25 lakh as interim assistance to the survivor for the trauma. The sexual assault case had given the opposition AIADMK a fresh arsenal to target the ruling DMK over women's safety and declining law and order in Tamil Nadu. The DMK had then vowed to fast-track the probe and ensure justice. BJP state chief K Annamalai had flogged himself in public in a symbolic act over the incident, for what he had described as the deteriorating law and order situation. He had also announced a 48-day fast and a mega pilgrimage as part of his protest. Mr Annamalai had also shared a photo of the convict with Chief Minister MK Stalin's son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, claiming that Gnanasekharan was a DMK member. The DMK had trashed the charge, with MK Stalin asserting he was just a supporter, not a member.
