Kolkata Court Remands Law Student Sharmishta Panoli to Judicial Custody Over Allegedly Offensive Video, BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra Condemns Arrest
On May 31, 2025, a court in Kolkata’s Alipore area remanded 19-year-old law student and Instagram influencer Sharmishta Panoli to 14 days of judicial custody. The case pertains to allegations of hurting religious sentiments through social media posts made in the wake of Operation Sindoor.
Background
Panoli, a law student at Symbiosis International University in Pune, was arrested by Kolkata Police in Gurugram, Haryana, for allegedly sharing a communal video related to ‘Operation Sindoor’ that incited widespread backlash. In the Instagram video, she criticized Bollywood celebrities for their silence on the operation, leading to accusations of hate speech and threats from social media users. Despite deleting the video and issuing an unconditional apology on social media, Panoli and her family reportedly went untraceable, prompting a court to issue an arrest warrant. Following her arrest, she was produced before a Gurugram court and brought to Kolkata on transit remand.
Legal Proceedings
Panoli faces multiple charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including promoting enmity between communities, offending religious sentiments, intentional insult to provoke public disorder, and making statements inciting unrest. Her social media profiles have since been made private, and all previous posts have been deleted.
Public and Political Reactions
The arrest has sparked significant political and public debate. Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra condemned the arrest, describing it as a “blatant assault on freedom of expression” and demanded Panoli’s immediate release.
Political figures such as BJP MP Kangana Ranaut and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan also criticized the West Bengal government’s actions. Ranaut warned against turning the state into “North Korea,” while Kalyan questioned the selective outrage and emphasized the need for impartial secularism.
On June 1, 2025, Manan Kumar Mishra, Chairman of the Bar Council of India (BCI) and Rajya Sabha MP, issued a strong condemnation of the arrest of 22-year-old law student and social media influencer Sharmishta Panoli by the West Bengal Police. Panoli was detained for posting a now-deleted video on social media, despite issuing an immediate apology.
Key Points:
Allegations of Political Motivation: Mishra accused the West Bengal government and Kolkata Police of politically motivated and selective action, describing the arrest as a “blatant assault on freedom of expression” and “an absolute failure of justice.”
Call for Immediate Release: He demanded Panoli’s immediate release, emphasizing the importance of upholding constitutional values and ensuring justice.
Concerns Over Freedom of Expression: The BCI Chairman highlighted concerns about the suppression of free speech, especially when the individual involved is a law student who had already apologized and removed the content in question.