Social media influencer and law student Sharmishta Panoli has been remanded to 14 days' judicial custody after her arrest in connection with a video she posted on Instagram that allegedly hurt religious sentiments.
The video, which has since been deleted, was uploaded on May 14 and targeted Bollywood celebrities for what Panoli described as their silence on Operation Sindoor. In her remarks, she allegedly made communally charged comments and used offensive language, which triggered significant backlash on social media.
Who is Sharmishta Panoli?
According to her LinkedIn profile, Sharmishta Panoli is a fourth-year law student at a reputed law institute in Pune. She began pursuing law in 2022 and also maintains a strong presence as a social media influencer, with over 94,000 followers on Instagram.
She gained popularity for her bold political commentary and opinion-based videos. However, following the controversy, Panoli deleted all her Instagram content, including reels and posts, from her account.
What did she say?
The now-deleted video was reportedly made in response to a comment from a user—possibly from Pakistan—questioning India’s military action following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 security personnel.
In the video, Panoli allegedly used abusive and communally sensitive language while criticising Bollywood figures and YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia for what she claimed was a lenient or “soft” approach towards Pakistan. The tone and content of her response were widely condemned for promoting enmity between religious groups.
Following massive social media outrage, an FIR was filed against her under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), India's updated criminal code, for promoting enmity and offending religious sentiments.
Kolkata Police attempted to serve her legal notices multiple times, but claimed Panoli and her family had evaded them. Eventually, a court-issued warrant led the police to track her down to Gurugram, where she was arrested on May 31. After her arrest, Panoli was produced before the Alipore Court, which denied her bail and sent her to judicial custody until June 13.
Panoli’s lawyer argued that police had already seized her phone and gathered the necessary digital evidence, making further custody unnecessary. However, the court rejected the plea, stating that judicial custody was justified given the gravity of the charges. According to the Kolkata Police, the arrest was conducted lawfully under the court’s directions. Panoli faces charges under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those related to promoting hatred between communities, inciting unrest, and offending religious sentiments.
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