Why was Sharmistha Panoli arrested? Kolkata Police's clarification amid row

Hindustan Times

02-06-2025

The Kolkata police, being panned for arresting social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli, have claimed that the controversial action was taken after " duly investigating and adhering to legal procedures". The police claimed they acted lawfully against the 22-year-old woman as she had been sharing offensive content that promoted communal hatred.
The police said Sharmistha Panoli wasn't arrested for expressing patriotism or personal belief.
"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.
The police said all legal procedures laid down by the law were adhered to. They claimed in a post on Facebook on Sunday that they had issued notices to the influencer but she was allegedly found to be absconding.
"Consequently, a warrant of arrest was issued by the competent court, following which she was apprehended lawfully from Gurgaon during the day. 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," it said.
Also read: Who is Sharmishta Panoli, Instagram influencer held for controversial remarks linked to Op Sindoor?
In her videos, Panoli had called out Bollywood actors for being silent on Operation Sindoor.
The police termed the narrative claiming she was arrested unlawfully, "mischievous and misleading".
"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 added.
They said they had filed a case on allegations that she posted a video which was "insulting to the religious belief of a class of citizens of India and amounted to promoting disharmony and hatred between different communities".
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, the Kolkata Police stated.
BJP West Bengal president Sukanta Majumdar has alleged that the police's action was rooted in the state government's policy of appeasement and "vote-bank vendetta".
"Sharmistha Panoli, 22, a law student, arrested for a now-deleted video and a public apology. No riots. No unrest. Yet Mamata Banerjee's police acted overnight — not for justice, but for appeasement. But when TMC leaders insult Sanatan Dharma… mock Maha Kumbh and push communal poison — there's no FIR, no arrest, no apology. This is not justice. This is vote-bank vendetta," Majumdar posted.
With inputs from PTI