Latest on Sharmishtha Panoli's Arrest
West Bengal DGP called out by NHRC to secure safety of Sharmistha Panoli
A 22-year-old law student and social media influencer, Sharmishtha Panoli, faced arrest by the West Bengal Police in Gurugram, Haryana, on May 30, 2025. The arrest stemmed from a controversial social media post she made, criticizing Bollywood actors over their silence on Operation Sindoor[1][2][3].
Key Facts:
- Police Action: Following a complaint lodged at the Garden Reach police station in Kolkata, Panoli was apprehended after she and her family reportedly ignored police notices. A warrant had to be issued to facilitate her arrest in Gurugram[4].
- Charges: The FIR against her incorporated sections of the Indian Penal Code dealing with promoting enmity on religious grounds, intentional insult, and acts likely to outrage religious feelings[3].
- Legal Procedural Allegations: The Legal Rights Observator, an organization, has filed a complaint alleging a lack of adherence to legal procedures during her arrest and transit[3].
- Custody Details: Panoli was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by the Alipore Court in Kolkata[2].
Response and Controversy:
- Political Criticism: The arrest has fueled political controversy, with both BJP and Congress leaders expressing criticism of the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal[3].
- International Support: Dutch politician Geert Wilders has lent his support, calling her arrest a "disgrace for freedom of speech"[2][3].
- Missing Complainant: The person who filed the initial complaint against Panoli has seemingly gone missing[1].
As of now, Sharmishtha Panoli continues to reside in judicial custody, with this arrest garnering widespread attention from the political sphere and beyond.
- Despite being remanded in judicial custody, Sharmishtha Panoli's arrest continues to draw attention from the political sphere in India, with both BJP and Congress leaders criticizing the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal.
- The arrest of the 22-year-old law student and social media influencer, Sharmishtha Panoli, on May 30, 2025, is not limited to India, as Dutch politician Geert Wilders has lent his support, labeling her arrest a "disgrace for freedom of speech."
- The controversy surrounding Sharmishtha Panoli's arrest reaches beyond the realms of politics and crime-and-justice, making headlines in general-news and drawing international attention, with the Legal Rights Observator filing a complaint alleging a lack of adherence to legal procedures during her arrest and transit.
