Sharmistha Panoli, a fourth-year law student at Symbiosis Law School in Pune, was arrested for sharing a blasphemous and provocative video about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on social media. The video, which triggered widespread outrage within the Muslim community, was posted on May 14 via her X (formerly Twitter) account and later deleted.
According to reports, police in Kolkata arrested Panoli from her residence in Gurugram, Haryana, on Friday. A day after posting the video, Panoli issued an unconditional apology, claiming that her remarks were personal and not meant to offend.
Despite the apology, authorities in Maharashtra filed a First Information Report (FIR) on May 20 under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 196 (promoting enmity between groups), Section 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), and Section 353 (causing public disorder).
Panoli, also known as an Instagram influencer, had earlier posted a video on her account that reportedly accused Bollywood actors of remaining silent following the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack.
The video, allegedly containing communal undertones, went viral and provoked severe backlash.
She received threats and criticism online, which led her to delete the post and issue a public apology. However, by that time, a formal complaint had already been registered by the Kolkata Police.
Authorities later issued legal notices to Panoli and her family, but they reportedly went into hiding. The police then secured a court-issued arrest warrant.
Following her arrest in Gurugram, a Delhi magistrate granted transit remand, allowing her to be transferred to Kolkata.
On Saturday, a local court in Alipur denied both bail and police custody, placing her in judicial remand until June 13, 2025.
Panoli’s arrest came amid growing public demands for legal action, notably from All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Waris Pathan, who condemned the remarks and called for accountability.
The incident has sparked debate across social media. While some view the arrest as a necessary step to safeguard religious sentiments, others have raised concerns about freedom of speech and political pressure in an increasingly polarized environment.
A group named “Team Rising Falcon” has claimed to have campaigned for Panoly’s arrest, further intensifying the controversy.
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