Latest news with #SymbiosisLawSchool
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Influencer Sharmistha Panoli walks out of Alipore Jail in hate speech case
On Friday (June 6, 2025) afternoon, influencer Sharmistha Panoli stepped outside the Alipore Jail in Kolkata and was set free. She was granted bail in the hate speech case by the Calcutta High Court on Thursday (June 5, 2025) after the Kolkata Police arrested her on May 30 from Gurugram, Haryana. Her father was seen at the Alipore Women's Correctional Home picking her up on Friday afternoon around 3 pm and left the premises in a car escorted by police. On Thursday, the vacation bench of Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury of the Calcutta High Court granted her bail for a bond of ₹10,000. She was also asked to cooperate with the investigation and not leave the country other than for educational purposes which will be reviewed by the court in case such a situation arises. The court also asked the police to offer her protection because her counsel stated that the young woman was receiving rape and death threats after her arrest. She had also reported that she was feeling unsafe inside the prison and encountered hygiene issues. 'The State is also directed to ensure that no further case and/or FIR is registered arising out of the same cause of action and/or similar set of allegations against the petitioner,' the court order stated. The Justice also asked the police to investigate the threats that Ms Panoli has received and file a report with the court. Her counsel said that Ms Panoli had paid the bond and hence she was released after the legal process was over. 'I am of the view that custodial interrogation of the petitioner is not necessary... It is made clear that the I.O. (investigating Officer) shall not unnecessarily summon the petitioner and provide adequate notice and also would be conscious that the petitioner is pursuing her studies from Symbiosis Law School, Pune,' Justice Chowdhury further added in his order. Symbiosis Law School suspended Ms Panoli for three months after the video of her making communal comments went viral and she was arrested. Her counsel said that she will return to college next semester in compliance with the suspension. Ms. Panoli's father told mediapersons that her daughter was a 'proud Hindu' and they had got support from multiple Hindu organisations. 'We are grateful to the organisations and people who supported her,' he said after her bail. Reacting to her release, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said justice was served. 'This is a case of police atrocities on an innocent young woman for using her freedom of speech and expression. This is yet another example of police eagerness to please their political masters,' Mr. Adhikari said in a post on X. On May 15, a case was lodged against her at the Garden Reach police station in Kolkata under several sections, including those pertaining to malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings. This came after she posted a video on social media and made communal comments and made claims about Operation Sindoor which the Kolkata Police noted as 'hate speech' and asked people not to confuse that with 'freedom of speech'. She did this as a reaction to the Pahalgam attack which left at least 26 people dead in Jammu and Kashmir. Ms. Panoli had deleted the video the same day and tendered an unconditional apology on social media.
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Business Standard
03-06-2025
- General
- Business Standard
Calcutta HC refuses bail to Panoli for controversial remarks amid tensions
The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday refused to grant interim bail to social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli, who is accused of making controversial remarks against a community in the context of Operation Sindoor—coordinated missile strikes conducted by the Indian armed forces. According to a LiveLaw report, Panoli challenged a remand order issued by a trial court, which had placed her in judicial custody for 14 days. Court stresses caution in diverse society While denying bail, the court listed the matter before the next vacation bench and stated, 'This video was made on social media, it was heard, this incident has led to a section of people's sentiment being hurt. 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, religions, etc. We must be cautious by saying this. So, day after tomorrow. Heavens will not fall.' Panoli faces legal action for blasphemous content Panoli, a law student at Symbiosis Law School, allegedly made blasphemous remarks against Prophet Mohammad on her social media accounts. After facing backlash for the offensive video, she deleted it and issued a public apology. Despite this, she was arrested in Gurugram by Kolkata Police. Defence argues arrest violated due process under BNSS Her counsel argued that the arrest was illegal, stating the offences listed in the FIR were non-cognisable. The counsel also contended that Panoli had not been served a notice prior to arrest, which is required under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The state counsel responded that a notice had been issued but could not be served because Panoli had fled with her family. Next hearing set for June 5; case diary requested The High Court directed the West Bengal government to produce the case diary related to Panoli's arrest at the next hearing, scheduled for 5 June. Operation Sindoor: military response to Pahalgam attack On 7 May, the Indian armed forces launched coordinated missile strikes on terrorist infrastructure at nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The strikes were in retaliation for the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam.
Indian Express
03-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Calcutta HC denies bail for Sharmistha Panoli; orders police to produce case diary
The Calcutta High Court single bench of Justice Parth Sarathi Chatterjee on Tuesday refused to grant interim bail to 22-year-old law student Sharmistha Panoli. After Operation Sindoor, Panoli had allegedly posted an offensive video 'targeting individuals based on their identity'. After facing backlash, she deleted the video and issued an apology. A student at Symbiosis Law School in Pune with nearly 2 lakh followers across social media platforms, Paloni was arrested in Gurugram on May 30. A Kolkata court subsequently remanded her to 14 days of judicial custody. On Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court directed that a May 15 complaint filed at Garden Reach police station by Wajahat Khan be treated as the principal case, and all other FIRs based on similar grounds be stayed. The State has been ordered to produce the case diary and all collected materials before the court on June 5. During the hearing, Justice Chatterjee remarked: 'A group of people in our country got hurt, leading to three or four cases. A section of the country is aggrieved. We have freedom of speech and expression, but that doesn't mean one can go on hurting others. This is a country of diversity, so one needs to be cautious before making such submissions.' The next hearing is scheduled on Thursday. Panoli's counsel argued in court that 'interim relief should be granted as Sharmistha and her family have cooperated with police, and she is unwell. The arrest is illegal.' The counsel said, 'Whatever inquiry is required, the family and the girl are ready to cooperate. We don't even know under which case the FIR in Kolkata was filed. After the post, members of that community threatened the petitioner with dire consequences and outraged her modesty. She filed two complaints with the Kolkata cyber cell, but no action has been taken.' Meanwhile, the State's counsel submitted, 'Notices were served to the girl, but there was no response, which led to the issuance of an arrest warrant.' The High Court said, 'We are a country of remarkable diversity, with people from different cultures. One must be cautious before making any comments. The State should be allowed to present its case. The Court is inclined to review the materials collected by the State so far. The jail authorities must ensure that basic amenities are provided to her.' State counsel Arko Kumar Nag told The Indian Express, '… The lower court had already refused bail. There was no (earlier) direction to produce the case diary… since this matter was served to us today, we will follow the court's orders.'
Indian Express
31-05-2025
- Indian Express
Kolkata police arrest law student from Gurgaon for social media remarks on Operation Sindoor
A 22-year-old law student from Pune was arrested by the Kolkata police from Gurgaon on Friday afternoon for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with her remarks on Operation Sindoor on social media. The police identified the student as Sharmistha Panoli. A fourth-year BBA LLB Honours student at Symbiosis Law School, Pune, Panoli had deleted the allegedly offensive post on Instagram and apologised for her remarks on X. She was produced before a Gurgaon court and will be brought to Kolkata on transit remand, officials said. 'A complaint was received, and the investigation is going on. As per law, all necessary steps will be taken,' Harikrishna Pai, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Port Division, told The Indian Express. According to police sources, a case was registered against Panoli at the Garden Reach Police station on May 15. The FIR was lodged under sections 196(1) (a) promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste, or community, 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class of citizens), 352 ( intentional insult with the intent to provoke a breach of peace), 353(1)(c) (statements that incite public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. After the FIR was lodged, attempts were made to serve notice as per the law, but the accused and her family had absconded, police sources alleged. Subsequently, a warrant of arrest was issued, based on which she was arrested from Gurgaon, the sources added. In her post on X, Panoli had said, '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.'
Indian Express
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘At primitive stage': Bombay HC refuses to interfere with suspension of law student for post on Operation Sindoor
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court earlier this week refused to immediately interfere in the plea of a woman law student, who was suspended by Symbiosis Law School (SLS) over a social media post on 'Operation Sindoor'. After SLS, Nagpur submitted that special examination will be held for the petitioner if she is exonerated, the HC directed it to conduct and complete the enquiry by May 25 and communicate the decision to the petitioner on that day itself. The 22-year-old petitioner was allegedly found present at Lakadganj area in Nagpur with 26-year-old student activist and freelance journalist from Kerala, Rejaz M Sheeba Sydeek, who was arrested on charges of 'preparing to wage war against the government'. While Sydeek was taken into custody on May 8, the woman was detained for questioning and later allowed to go. Sydeek has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) by the Nagpur police. ATS has taken over the probe. Subsequently, SLS on May 10 suspended the final-year law student from academic and non-academic activities till further orders. She was debarred from appearing in internal, semesters and backlog examinations during the suspension period. The Campus Disciplinary Committee (CDC) on May 13 passed an order continuing the suspension of the petitioner till further orders. 'I am of the prima facie view that the action of respondent SLS, Nagpur is not punitive, but, administrative in nature in view of the rider which is provided in the order/decision dated May 13, 2025, that additional special examination will be conducted for the petitioner if she is exonerated in the disciplinary proceeding,' a vacation bench of Justice Rohit W Joshi noted in its May 14 order. The petitioner through advocate S Kulkarni argued that the suspension and debarment from academic activities and examinations was a 'punishment' and the petitioner was being made 'scapegoat' in the matter. Advocate K P Mahalle for SLS submitted that various posts on her Instagram handle appeared to be 'political in nature' and one of them appeared to be 'contrary to the government's stand on 'Operation Sindoor'.' Justice Joshi observed that the 'matter is at a very primitive stage' and 'all the facts are yet to come on record'. 'Suspension pending enquiry is not punishment, but an administrative action,' the judge added.
