Instagram influencer Sharmishta Panoli arrested for communal post, sent to 14 days judicial custody

Social media influencer Sharmishta Panoli being remanded to judicial custody. | Photo Credit: ANI

A court in Kolkata on Saturday (May 31, 2025) remanded social media influencer Sharmishta Panoli, arrested for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, in judicial custody for 14 days.

Kolkata Police has arrested Ms. Panoli from Gurugram, Haryana on Friday night.

She is a law student in Pune, Maharashtra.

On Saturday, Ms. Panoli was produced before Alipore Court in Kolkata, which remanded her in judicial custody for 14 days.

According to the Kolkata Police, several attempts were made to serve legal notices to Ms. Panoli and her family, but the attempts were unsuccessful because Ms. Panoli and her family absconded.

Subsequently, an arrest warrant was issued by the court, based on which she was arrested from Gurugram on Friday.

"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," as per the Kolkata Police.

However, Ms. Panoli had deleted the video and issued an apology on May 15.

Speaking to ANI, influencer Sharmishta Panoli's advocate, Md Samimuddin stated that they have moved her bail application before the court.

"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..." Sharmishta's advocate said.

Meanwhile, in a social media post on X, Kolkata Police trashed the "factually incorrect" and "misleading" certain social media narratives suggesting that the arrest of the law student is "unlawful."

"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," Kolkata Police said.

It further stated, "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."

Authorities urged the people to refrain from sharing unverified or speculative content. "We urge all concerned to refrain from spreading unverified or speculative content and to rely on authentic sources for information," the Kolkata Police further said in the post.

Published - June 01, 2025 06:44 am IST