A Law student and Instagram influencer Sharmistha Panoli was arrested by Gurgaon Police for allegedly making communal post videos , sparking hated speech on bollywood silence on Operation sindoor.Tr
Triggered Controversy Sharmistha panoli
Due to a purportedly divisive communal statement connected to Operation Sindoor, Instagram influencer Sharmishta Panoli was taken into custody on Friday. She was brought before the Alipore Court in Kolkata a few hours after her arrest, and she was placed under 14 days of judicial detention.
When the Pakistani user questioned India’s military posture, Sharmistha Panoli responded with a video. She criticized Bollywood celebs in her film for keeping quiet about action Sindoor, the military action that followed the terror assault. She allegedly made disrespectful words about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad, though, which caused the situation to worsen.
WHO IS SHARMISTHA PANOLI
With hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram, 22-year-old Sharmistha Panoli is a well-known Instagram influencer and law student at Pune Law University. Known for her candid opinions on current events, she gained national attention after posting a contentious video on May 14, 2025, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack and remarks made by a Pakistani follower endorsing the attackers.
WHAT DID SHARMISTHA PANOLI SAID IN VIDEO
In the since-deleted video, Panoli stated the following: “I used to believe that Nabi was insane because he believed that 72 hoors would be waiting for them in paradise, but this woman is even more insane since she believes that India opened fire without cause. Do you know about the terrorists that your country has been supporting, including the Pahalgam attack? Shall we not strike back? We are no longer Mahatma Gandhi’s followers.”
According to reports, Sharmishta Panoli also used derogatory language in the video.
Panoli harshly criticized YouTuber and Bollywood actor Ranveer Allahbadia in what appeared to be another video for taking a mild stand against Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam assault. She characterized their “hypocrisy” using derogatory words.
Action By Gurgaon Police
Following several complaints, Kolkata Police filed a formal report and made an effort to notify Sarmistha Panoli and her family of their legal rights. An arrest warrant was issued after they did not reply. She was ultimately taken into custody in Gurugram, Haryana, and placed under transit remand in Kolkata.
When Sarmistha Panoli appeared in court, the magistrate denied her bail request and the police’s detention request, placing her in judicial custody until June 13, 2025.
She has reportedly been charged under a number of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections, including:
Section 196(1)(a): Encouraging animosity among groups
Section 299: Extremely strong religious sentiments
Section 352: Willful offense to incite a breach of peace
SECTION 353(1)(c):Incitement to public mischief
Apology By Sharmistha Panoli
On May 15, in response to threats and public outcry, Panoli removed the video and apologized unconditionally via X and Instagram. In her letter, she expressed her sincere regret. My feelings are what they are, and I never meant to purposely offend anyone. If someone has been harmed, I apologize. I shall now exercise caution in my public posts.
Her phone and laptop were confiscated by the police for forensic examination to ascertain whether any edited or objectionable content remained, and legal action proceeded despite her apology.
Concerns have been made by Panoli’s legal team regarding several FIRs filed for the same offense, which they claim go against Supreme Court rules. In addition, her attorney, Muhammad Shamimuddin, emphasized that prior notification, as required by Section 35(3) of the BNSS, ought to have been given prior to the arrest, which they assert was not done.
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