Latest news with #WajahatKhan
NDTV
14-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Talk But With Care: On Freedom Of Speech, Supreme Court Advises Restraint
New Delhi: Freedom of speech and expression is important but citizens must exercise restraint, the Supreme Court said today while hearing an appeal over a controversial post on X. The petition was from Wajahat Khan, who had complained against social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli over her communal videos on social media on Operation Sindoor. But he was arrested by the Kolkata police when his communal tweets made earlier surfaced. Several police cases were also filed against him across the country. He had approached the Supreme Court seeking that the cases against him filed across six states -- including Assam, Bengal, Maharashtra, Haryana and Delhi -- be scrapped or clubbed together. "We are talking about citizens! If they want to enjoy freedom of speech and expression, there has to be some restraint. They can't abuse freedom this way," Justice BV Nagarathana said today, referring to the larger issue of citizens misusing and abusing freedom, which, he said "clogs" the legal system. "Why can't citizens regulate Themselves? They just press a button and everything is posted online... It an abuse of the freedom," he added.
NDTV
23-06-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
"Hate Speech Won't...": Top Court On Man Arrested Over Social Media Posts
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday took a strong exception to communal tweets by Wajahat Khan, the complainant in Sharmistha Panoli's case, who is now himself under arrest over social media posts. The top court said that hate speech won't take us anywhere. In a relief to Mr Khan, the top court today said that barring the current proceedings in which he is under police custody in West Bengal in two FIRs, no coercive action should be taken against him in FIRs filed in other states. Mr Khan had recently filed a complaint against social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli over her communal videos on social media on Operation Sindoor. However, he was arrested by Kolkata police after his past communal tweets surfaced. He approached the Supreme Court seeking quashing or clubbing of FIRs registered against him across 6 states, including Assam, Bengal, Maharashtra, Haryana and Delhi. The top court issued notice to 6 states returnable by July 14. These FIRs in other states have been stayed till the next hearing. The bench also ordered that no coercive action be taken against him on any FIR that may be registered in future over the same allegations. Senior Advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu appeared for the Khan in the top court today. At the outset of the hearing, the bench questioned the counsel over his tweets. "You have not annexed the tweets? The bench of Justice KV Vishwanathan and NK Singh at the outset questioned the counsel appearing for Wajahat Khan. "My tweets are deleted and I have posted an apology", his counsel told the court. Terming these posts as "hate tweets", the top court expressed concern and also quoted a Tamil proverb which roughly translates to "wounds inflicted by fire may heal, but not the wounds inflicted by tongue." Mr Naidu, appearing for Mr Khan, told the court that FIRs are registered across multiple states; he can't be expected to go to those states. The counsel also read out the apology tweet written by him to "Hindu brothers". Mr Naidu further argued that the complaints were filed in retaliation for his complaints against social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli, who is out on bail. FIRs have been filed against Wajahat Khan in several states for inciting religious sentiments and posting hate-mongering material. Wajahat Khan is currently in police custody after being arrested by Kolkata Police on June 10.
India Today
10-06-2025
- India Today
Wajahat Khan, who got Panoli arrested, now booked for hate speech
Wajahat Khan — the man whose FIR led to influencer Sharmishtha Panoli's arrest — has now been arrested himself. His old posts targeting Hindu gods and festivals surfaced shortly after Panoli's case. Khan's family claims his account was hacked. #WajahatKhan #SharmishthaPanoli #HateSpeech #OperationSindoor #BollywoodKhans #ReligiousSentiments #SocialMediaCase
News18
10-06-2025
- News18
Wajahat Khan, Complainant In Influencer Sharmistha Panoli's Case, Denied Bail
Last Updated: Wajahat Khan, who had been on the run since June 1, was arrested on June 8 following multiple summons and raids A Kolkata court on Tuesday rejected the bail plea filed by Wajahat Khan, the man who registered a complaint against influencer Sharmistha Panoli, leading to her arrest in Gurugram on May 30. Khan, who had been on the run since June 1, was arrested on June 8 following multiple summons and raids in a case linked to allegedly spreading hate speech and hurting religious sentiments through his social media activity. A case was filed against Khan at the Golf Green Police Station in Kolkata, accusing him of spreading hate speech and offending religious sentiments through his social media posts. In response to the FIR, police issued three notices at his residence in Garden Reach, summoning him for questioning. Despite this, Khan evaded authorities until his eventual arrest. Following Panoli's arrest, Khan went missing. His father, Saadat Khan, told the media that Wajahat had not come home and that the family had been receiving threatening calls, blaming them for 'ruining Panoli's life." Meanwhile, the Shree Ram Swabhiman Parishad lodged a formal complaint against Wajahat Khan with the Kolkata Police. Dated June 2 and addressed to the Officer-in-Charge of the Garden Reach Police Station, the complaint accused Khan of making derogatory, inflammatory, and sexually explicit remarks aimed at Hindu deities, religious practices, and the broader community. The letter alleged that Khan used derogatory terms to describe Hindus on the internet and urged authorities to take action under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act. As part of her bail conditions, she has been prohibited from leaving the country without prior approval from the Chief Judicial Magistrate and was required to deposit a sum of ₹10,000. First Published: June 10, 2025, 16:18 IST
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Time of India
Wajahat Khan, complainant in Sharmistha Panoli case, arrested by Kolkata Police amid multiple FIRs
Wajahat Khan, who filed the complaint leading to Sharmistha Panoli's arrest, has been apprehended by Kolkata Police amidst multiple FIRs against him for offensive posts targeting Hindu deities. Assam Police, who were seeking Khan, alleged non-cooperation from Kolkata Police, a claim strongly denied by the latter. Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court granted interim bail to Sharmistha Panoli. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Kolkata: Wajahat Khan , whose complaint led to the arrest of 22-year-old social media influencer and law student Sharmistha Panoli , was arrested on Monday by Kolkata Police Assam Police was searching for him while he had gone missing amid a number of FIRs against him over his offensive posts against Hindu deities and FIRs against him in three states and at a time Assam Police was ready to visit Bengal, Kolkata Police arrested him Police said in a statement that 'during investigation of Golf Green P. S. Case no.76 dated 2/6/25 u/s 196(1)(a)/299/352/353(1)(c) BNS, the team of ARS DD conducted raid at Digha and Howrah and pursuing source information the FIR named accused person Wazahat Khan (29) who is a resident of Paharpur Road in Kolkata was arrested today.'Assam Police has alleged non-cooperation against Kolkata Police. Kolkata Police strongly refuted on Saturday 'the misleading claim being circulated on social media suggesting non-cooperation with Assam Police.''A team of Assam Police did approach the local police authorities under PS Garden Reach in connection with an investigation. All necessary assistance was duly extended to them. The team held raids with the assistance from the local Police station and there was no resistance or issues. The team is in regular touch with officers of Kolkata Police and necessary assistance is assured to them as required. We urge all to verify facts before making such unfounded claims,' DC Port had said on Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted interim bail to Sharmishta Panoli, a social influencer and fourth year law graduate, who was arrested by Kolkata Police from Gurugram on charges of hurting the religious sentiments of a particular community.
