Latest news with #BhartiyaNyayaSanhita
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Live-in couple detained for hitting children
MUMBAI: The Malvani police have booked and detained a Malad-based live-in couple for allegedly assaulting their three children. According to the police, 32-year-old Chetna Patil and 40-year-old Pankaj Kumar reside in Malwani, close to the residence of Patil's mother, 54-year-old Poonam Parmar. Patil has a seven-year-old son, Priyank, from her first husband, and two children named Raghav, 1, and Vivani, 2, from Kumar. In her complaint, Parmar said that she had witnessed the couple hit Priyank brutally in 2020, when they lived in Andheri. Their neighbours had also shown her videos of them assaulting the young boy. She subsequently convinced the couple to shift to Malad, close to her residence, and hoped that the assaults had ended. However, on Saturday, when Parmar visited her daughter, she saw Kumar assaulting his stepson Priyank and complained about the matter to the Malvani police. 'They have been torturing the children constantly, both physically and mentally, and the children have several injury marks all over their bodies,' said Parmar. Based on her complaint, the Malvani police registered a case against Patil and Kumar under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act and section 115 (2) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita. 'We have detained the couple and handed over the children to the Child Welfare Committee,' a police officer aware of the matter said.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Hygiene not being maintained': Influencer Sharmishta Panoli files plea over jail conditions
Sharmishtha Panoli (File photo) NEW DELHI: Social media influencer and law student Sharmishta Panoli's advocate has claimed that her basic rights are being denied in custody and that her health is deteriorating. Her advocate has filed a plea regarding the conditions at the correctional, alleging that "proper hygiene is not being maintained." Panoli is currently lodged in Alipore women's correctional home following her arrest on May 30 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through a now-deleted Instagram video. Speaking to reporters, Panoli's advocate Md Samimuddin said, 'We are trying our best to get her out of jail before June 13. We will sit down on the matter today and discuss it. We will take a call in one or two days about what we will do... At Alipore women's correctional home, proper hygiene is not being maintained around her and she is unwell. She has kidney stones. She is not being given access to newspapers and magazines. Today we have filed a petition in the court so that she gets access to her basic rights... Sharmishta is innocent. We are trying our best to get her out on bail.' The 22-year-old was arrested by Kolkata Police from Gurugram, Haryana, after multiple failed attempts to serve her legal notices. The police claimed she and her family had absconded. On June 1, a Kolkata court remanded her to 14-day judicial custody until June 13. Her bail plea has since been filed, and her legal team contends that with her phone and laptop already seized, custody is unnecessary. Despite deleting the video and publicly apologising on May 15, Panoli's arrest has stirred political and legal controversy. Kolkata Police insist the arrest was lawful and based on a court-issued warrant after repeated non-compliance with legal procedures. 'All legal procedures were duly adhered to,' they posted on X, calling social media claims of an 'unlawful arrest' 'factually incorrect and misleading.' The police further clarified that Panoli was not arrested for any nationalist sentiment but under the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for spreading communal disharmony. 'Hate speech & abusive language should not be misconstrued as freedom of speech,' their statement added. Nevertheless, growing voices from the legal community are calling for her release. The Bar Council of Delhi condemned her arrest as excessive and politically motivated. Chairman Surya Prakash Khatri said, 'Despite deleting the video and apologising, she was arrested in a high-handed manner... I demand her immediate release to uphold the scale of justice.' Bar Council of India chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra echoed similar concerns. Pawan Kalyan, Kangana Ranaut condemn arrest Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan had also earlier criticised the West Bengal Police for arresting Panoli, saying that 'secularism must be a two-way street.' In a post on X, he noted, 'During Operation Sindoor, Sharmistha, a law student, spoke out, her words regrettable and hurtful to some. She owned her mistake, deleted the video and apologised. 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?' He added, 'Blasphemy must be condemned, always! Secularism isn't a shield for some and a sword for others. It must be a two-way street. West Bengal Police, the nation is watching. Act justly for all.' Kangana Ranaut described the arrest as harsh. 'She is a very young woman. She has her whole career and life ahead of her,' Ranaut said.
Scroll.in
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Kolkata Police defends arrest of Pune student, says ‘hate speech not free speech'
The Kolkata Police on Sunday said that 'hate speech should not be misconstrued as freedom of speech'. This came amid an uproar after the arrest of a 22-year-old law student in Gurugram for social media posts related to Operation Sindoor that allegedly hurt religious sentiment. The student, identified as Sharmishta Panoli, is a fourth-year business and law student at a Pune university. She had reportedly made the comments on Instagram but later deleted the post and issued an apology on X. A case was filed against Panoli at Kolkata's Garden Reach Police Station on May 15. The 22-year-old was arrested on Friday, after which she was brought to Kolkata on a transit remand and remanded to judicial custody till June 13. Several politicians, including many from the Bharatiya Janata Party, have questioned Panoli's arrest. On Sunday, the Kolkata Police claimed a few social media accounts were spreading false information that the 22-year-old had been 'unlawfully arrested' for 'opposing Pakistan'. 'This narrative is mischievous and misleading,' it stated. 'Expressing national pride and patriotism is a thing that every citizen and organisation stands for. Kolkata Police being no different, stands firmly with the citizens of India.' 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. Expressing national pride and patriotism is a thing that every citizen and organisation… — Kolkata Police (@KolkataPolice) June 1, 2025 The Kolkata Police reiterated that the case was registered on the basis of allegations that Panoli had posted a video that was insulting to religious beliefs and under the appropriate section of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita. It stated that she was 'apprehended lawfully' from Gurugram. 'Hate speech targeting any religious figure or community or any class of citizens of India which has potential to incite disharmony and hatred between different communities is a punishable offence in the newly implemented Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita,' said the police. Hate speech and abusive language should not be misconstrued as freedom of speech and expression as enshrined in Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, it said. It added: 'At the time when the whole country stood united and our brave citizens were fighting at the frontier, posting such content on social media which is insulting and demeaning to any class of citizens of India is most abominable act. Any such act will only benefit our enemies.' The Kolkata Police stated that it acted lawfully in accordance with the procedures 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,' it added. We urge the all concerned to act responsibly and refrain from doing anything that would benefit our enemies.' On Saturday, BJP's West Bengal unit chief and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar described Panoli's arrest as 'vote-bank vendetta'. 'No riots. No unrest. Yet [West Bengal Chief Minister] Mamata Banerjee's police acted overnight – not for justice, but for appeasement,' he alleged. 'But when TMC [Trinamool Congress] leaders insult Sanatan Dharma, call Jai Shri Ram a gaali, mock Maha Kumbh, and push communal poison – there's no FIR [first information report], no arrest, no apology.' Sanatana Dharma is a term some use as a synonym for Hinduism. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari claimed that 'action is taken only on Sanatanis', The Indian Express reported. 'I do not want to comment on what the girl has said, but what these people [Trinamool Congress] are doing is appeasement politics of a particular community, who are their vote bank,' the newspaper quoted the leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly as saying. Andhra Pradesh deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Friday said that the Kolkata Police had acted swiftly and arrested Panoli. 'But what about the deep, searing pain inflicted upon millions when elected leaders, MPs of TMC, mock Sanatana Dharma?' he asked on X. 'Where is the outrage when our faith is called 'Gandha Dhar'? Where is their apology? Where is their swift arrest?' The National Democratic Alliance partner and Janasena Party chief added that blasphemy must always be condemned. 'Secularism isn't a shield for some and a sword for others,' he said. 'It must be a two-way street. West Bengal Police, the nation is watching. Act justly for all.' Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram too accused the Kolkata Police of 'blatant misuse of police powers'. 'These inter-state arrests for social media posts (unless it's clearly demonstrated that it has led to a law and order situation) are blatantly a misuse of police powers,' Chidambaram said on X. On the other hand, Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose claimed that Panoli said 'directly abused a religion, reported The Indian Express. 'Free speech does not allow hate speech,' Ghosh told the newspaper. 'The Kolkata Police was acting on a warrant that they were duty bound to execute. The notice was served, but the family was absconding. The Kolkata Police just did duty.' The Kolkata Police had earlier said that several attempts were made to serve a legal notice to Panoli, but she and her family were untraceable. A court then issued an arrest warrant, after which she was tracked and arrested. The first information report was filed under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to promoting enmity between groups, deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings, intentional insult with the intent to provoke a breach of peace and statements that incite public mischief.
India Gazette
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Misleading": Kolkata police clarifies rumours of 'unlawful' arrest of law student
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 1 (ANI): Kolkata police Sunday said that 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,' Kolkata police said. 'Expressing national pride and patriotism is a thing that every citizen and organisation stands for. Kolkata Police being no different, stands firmly with the citizens of India' In their statement, the Kolkata police said, 'It's again reiterated that in the instant incident, a case was registered against the accused at Gardenreach PS on 15.05.24 on the basis of allegations that she posted a video which was insulting to the religious belief of a class of citizen of India and amounted to promoting disharmony and hatred between different communities. The case was registered under appropriate section of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita. The case was duly investigated and adhering to legal procedures, several attempts were made to serve notice u/s 35 of BNSS to the accused but everytime she was found absconding. Consequently a warrant of arrest was issued by the competent Court, following which she was apprehended lawfully from Gurgaon during day time. She was thereafter produced before the appropriate Magistrate and was granted transit remand as per due process of law. Later the Court sent her to judicial custody' The statement added that hate speech targeting any religious figure or community or any class of citizens of India which has potential to incite disharmony and hatred between different communities is a punishable offence in the newly implemented Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita. 'Hate speech & abusive language should not be misconstrued as freedom of speech & expression as enshrined in Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution,' Kolikata police said. '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. We urge the all concerned to act responsibly and refrain from doing anything that would benefit our enemies,' the statement added. Kolkata Police arrested Panoli from Haryana's Gurugram on Friday night. She is a law student in Pune, Maharashtra. On Saturday, Panoli was produced before the Alipore Court in Kolkata, which remanded her in judicial custody for 14 days. According to the Kolkata Police, several attempts were made to serve legal notices to Panoli and her family, but the attempts were unsuccessful because Panoli and her family an arrest warrant was issued by the court, based on which she was arrested from Gurugram on Friday. 'The case relates to an Instagram video by a lady named Sharmishta Panoli that hurt the religious sentiments of a particular community. FIR was lodged in Garden Reach Police Station. Attempts to serve notice as per law couldn't be successful since the accused, with her family absconded. Subsequently, warrant of arrest was issued by the court of law, based on which she was arrested from Gurgaon yesterday,' as per the Kolkata Police. However, Panoli had deleted the video and issued an apology on May 15. (ANI)
News18
3 days ago
- News18
'Absconding, Used Abusive Words': What Kolkata Police Said About Sharmistha Panoli's Arrest
Last Updated: Kolkata Police further dismissed claims surfacing online that Sharmistha Panoli was targeted for expressing patriotism or "opposing Pakistan" in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor The Kolkata Police on Sunday defended the arrest of Instagram influencer Sharmistha Panoli, stating that legal action was taken not for expressing national sentiments, but for allegedly delivering hate speech and abusive language in a video. In a detailed clarification justifying her arrest, the police noted that hate speech and abusive language 'should not be misconstrued as freedom of speech and expression" Kolkata Police further dismissed claims surfacing online that Panoli was targeted for expressing patriotism or 'opposing Pakistan" in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. '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 Kolkata Police said in a statement. The case against Panoli was registered on 15 May at Garden Reach Police Station, said the police, adding that the video in question was considered 'insulting to the religious belief of a class of citizen of India and amounted to promoting disharmony and hatred between different communities." 'Absconding' The police said the case against Panoli was registered under the relevant sections of the newly implemented Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). After proper investigation into the case, repeated attempts to serve legal notice to Panoli reportedly failed, with the police saying she was 'absconding." 'Several attempts were made to serve notice u/s 35 of BNSS to the accused but every time she was found absconding," Kolkata Police said. The Kolkata Police noted that under the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, hate speech targeting any religious figure or community—especially if it has the potential to incite communal disharmony or hatred—is a punishable offence. Panoli, a law student and social media influencer, was arrested in Gurugram on Friday (May 30) and brought to Kolkata, where she was presented before a magistrate and remanded to 14 days of judicial custody. Her arrest came in response to a complaint filed at the Garden Reach Police Station on May 15, alleging that she posted a video that insulted religious sentiments and promoted communal disharmony. In the video, Panoli criticised Bollywood actors—particularly Muslim stars—for their silence on Operation Sindoor, a military strike targeting terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The video, which included abusive language and communal remarks, sparked significant backlash online and was subsequently taken down. Panoli later issued an apology. Sources in the Kolkata Police told News18 that any complaint related to the hurting of religious sentiments will be duly examined and acted upon. First Published: June 01, 2025, 23:50 IST
