New Delhi: Social media influencer and law student Sharmishta Panoli has been remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by a Kolkata court after being arrested for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through an Instagram video. The arrest, which took place on Friday night in Gurugram, Haryana, was carried out by Kolkata Police following the issuance of an arrest warrant.
Panoli, who is currently studying law in Pune, Maharashtra, was presented before the Alipore Court in Kolkata on Saturday. The court subsequently remanded her in judicial custody until 13 June 2025.
According to a statement by Kolkata Police, multiple efforts were made to serve legal notices to Panoli and her family. However, these attempts were unsuccessful as they were reportedly absconding.
"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," Kolkata Police was quoted as saying by ANI.
Panoli had deleted the controversial video and issued a public apology on 15 May.
Twitter post:
Her legal counsel, Md Samimuddin, confirmed that a bail application has been moved.
"We moved our bail application before the court, citing that the articles that have been allegedly stated by the prosecution to have been used, the mobile phone and the laptop, have already been seized. Subsequently, the court heard our prayer. The police custody prayer was sought by the prosecution, which was turned down and rejected. The accused has been remanded to judicial custody till 13th of June, 2025..." Samimuddin said.
Addressing claims circulating on social media that questioned the legality of Panoli’s arrest, Kolkata Police issued a statement on X, dismissing them as "factually incorrect and misleading".
"In reference to Garden Reach Police Station Case No. 136 dated 15.05.2025, certain social media narratives suggesting an unlawful arrest of a law student are factually incorrect and misleading," the police said.
They further clarified, “All legal procedures were duly adhered to. All attempts were made to serve notice, but she was found absconding on every occasion. Consequently, a warrant of arrest was issued by the competent court, following which she was apprehended lawfully from Gurgaon. She was thereafter produced before the appropriate magistrate and granted transit remand as per due process of law.”
Official police statement on X:
The authorities also appealed to the public not to disseminate unverified information. "We urge all concerned to refrain from spreading unverified or speculative content and to rely on authentic sources for information," the statement added.
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