Latest news with #BarCouncil
NDTV
4 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Harakiri Arrest": Influencer Sharmishta Panoli's Lawyer On Police Action
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Law student and influencer Sharmishta Panoli was arrested in a controversial manner, with her lawyer claiming police bypassed arrest rules. Accused of inciting religious tensions, she is in judicial custody. Criticism of her arrest has surfaced. Kolkata: Law student and influencer Sharmishta Panoli was arrested in a "harakiri" manner and the police have bypassed the basic rules of arrest, her lawyer Mohammed Shamimuddin has said. "They went to her house. But there was no one at home so the police sought a warrant from magistrate and arrested her. They didn't attempt to contact her on the phone either. This shows how the police acted in a harakiri manner and the ground on which the Kolkata police custody was denied," he told NDTV in an exclusive interview. Ms Panoli, who has been accused of outraging religious feelings, promoting enmity between groups, deliberate insult to provoke breach of peace and incitement to public mischief, was placed in judicial custody by a court in Kolkata on Saturday. The 22-year-old was arrested from Gurugram on Friday, after her Instagram post had outraged many. The legal action came after she had tendered an unconditional apology and withdrew her post. Kolkata police have been criticized by many over her arrest and the manner of it and there has been a demand from many, including the Bar Council, that she be released. The video posted on May 14 - that has since been deleted, was apparently a response to comments from a Pakistani user. In it, the fourth-year law student had criticised Bollywood celebrities for their alleged silence on Operation Sindoor and made communally charged remarks that offended many and led to a call for her arrest. The Kolkata Police have maintained that they followed due process and made a lawful arrest based on the court's warrant. "The police are investigating why such statement was made by her and if she was provoked or other people involved. Her phone and laptop have been seized by the police. They have recorded her statement," her lawyer said. He also claimed that she has not been given access to a hygienic toilet, and her requests for newspapers and magazines have also has been denied. "We have brought this to the magistrate's attention. The jail super has been directed to file a report by June 4," he said. "The next legal recourse is being decided and will be taken in the next 2-3 days, and we will push for her bail," he added.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Different sets of rules for Hindus and Muslims in Bengal': BJP on arrest of Instagram influencer Sharmishtha Panoli
NEW DELHI: BJP leader Agnimitra Paul on Monday directed her attack at the West Bengal government after the arrest of 22-year-old Instagram influencer Sharmishtha Panoli, alleging a lack of free speech and unequal treatment of communities in the state. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The remarks came after Panoli was remanded to 14-day judicial custody for allegedly making communal comments in a video on social media. Speaking on the incident, Paul said, "Kangana Ranaut very rightly said that don't make West Bengal another North Korea because there's no freedom of speech there. There is no constitutional freedom of speech in West Bengal, and there are two different sets of rules for Hindus and Muslims." She also thanked the Bar Council and Kangana Ranaut for supporting Panoli. "I thank the Bar Council and Kangana Ranaut (for standing by Panoli). Every Indian, Hindu and nationalist Muslim must stand against this injustice," she added. Paul accused the state government of selective enforcement and bias, saying, "We have seen so many posts from West Bengal lately abusing India, PM Modi, our Goddess Maa Kamakhya, after , but no action was taken... It is a clear message from the Mamata government that if you are a Hindu or a Muslim who is abusing or saying something against Muslims, you will not be spared, but if it is the opposite, no action will be taken." She urged the Hindu community in West Bengal to rise, saying, "Hindus of West Bengal also need to rise; they are sleeping under the cloud of secularism. We need to have a neutral government... The police of the state today only see a religion." Tired of too many ads? go ad free now BJP leader also cited specific instances of alleged bias, claiming, "No action was taken against Anubrata Mondal, a TMC leader who abused a police officer... The Mamata government only works for the Muslims, not for Hindus." On Panoli's arrest, Paul said, "Sharmishtha Panoli repeatedly apologised and also deleted the post and inspite of it, 's police, being proactive, went to Gurugram and arrested her." She further accused the Mamata-led state government of ignoring similar actions by others: "Mahua Moitra repeatedly abuses our Goddess... but no action taken... Court stated that riots of Murshidabad was done by TMC leaders... No action was taken... Mamata Banerjee doesn't consider Hindus of any importance."* According to police sources cited by PTI news agency, Panoli's video criticised Bollywood actors for their silence on Operation Sindoor. The post went viral, sparking backlash, and was subsequently deleted by Panoli, who also issued an apology. Despite this, she was arrested in Gurugram on Friday night after reportedly evading multiple police summons. Panoli, a law student originally from Kolkata's Anandapur area and currently studying at a university in Pune, has been charged under sections related to promoting enmity between groups and creating religious disharmony.
Malaysiakini
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Bar govts, firms from suing individuals for defamation, ex-judge says
A retired Federal Court judge today suggested the Bar Council push for an amendment to the Defamation Act to disallow governments and corporations from filing defamation suits. Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal told a forum in Kuala Lumpur that the defamation law should be restricted to individuals as reputation was initially about honour and good name, among others...
Malaysiakini
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
'Use media council, ombudsman law as avenues to address defamation'
A Bar Council committee member today suggested the upcoming Media Council and the planned Ombudsman Bill as alternative avenues for ordinary citizens to take up their defamation cases. Speaking at a forum in Kuala Lumpur, Bar Council's Civil Law and Law Reform Committee co-chairperson M Ramachelvam, said he agreed with the notion that the defamation law is a rich man's tort...
Malaysiakini
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
'Use media council, ombudsman law as avenues to address defamation'
A Bar Council committee member today suggested the upcoming Media Council and the planned Ombudsman Bill as alternative avenues for ordinary citizens to take up their defamation cases. Speaking at a forum in Kuala Lumpur, Bar Council's Civil Law and Law Reform Committee co-chairperson M Ramachelvam, said he agreed with the notion that the defamation law is a rich man's tort...
