NEW DELHI: A 22-year-old Instagram influencer, Sharmishtha Panoli, on Saturday was remanded to 13-day judicial custody after she was arrested by Kolkata Police for allegedly making communal remarks in a social media video. The legislation pupil, initially from Kolkata’s Anandapur space and presently enrolled at a Pune-based college, was apprehended in Gurugram on Friday evening after reportedly evading a number of police summons.The video in query featured Panoli criticising Bollywood actors for his or her silence on Operation Sindoor, as per police sources cited by information company PTI. The submit went viral and triggered a wave of backlash, prompting her to delete the video and concern an apology. Nevertheless, by then, a proper grievance had been filed in Kolkata and authorized proceedings had commenced.Panoli was produced in a Kolkata courtroom on Saturday, the place her bail plea was rejected and he or she was remanded to judicial custody till June 13, PTI reported. She has been charged beneath a number of sections associated to selling enmity between teams and inflicting spiritual disharmony.
Kolkata Police: ‘Authorized procedures adopted’
In response to on-line hypothesis concerning the legality of the arrest, Kolkata Police issued an announcement clarifying that every one due course of was adopted.“In reference to Backyard Attain Police Station Case No. 136 dated 15.05.2025, sure social media narratives suggesting an illegal arrest of a legislation pupil are factually incorrect and deceptive,” the assertion learn. “All authorized procedures have been duly adhered to. A number of makes an attempt have been made to serve discover, however she was absconding every time. A reliable courtroom then issued an arrest warrant, and he or she was apprehended lawfully from Gurugram.”The assertion added that she was produced earlier than a Justice of the Peace and granted transit remand as per authorized norms.
Suvendu Adhikari slams arrest as ‘appeasement politics’
Reacting to the arrest, BJP chief and West Bengal Chief of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari accused the state authorities of selective motion.“FIRs have been filed in opposition to Mahua Moitra for derogatory remarks about Goddess Kali. Was any motion taken? Saayoni Ghosh made feedback about Mahadev. Nothing occurred,” Adhikari mentioned. “That is appeasement politics. Motion is just taken in opposition to Sanatanis whereas others have a licence to abuse Sanatana Dharma.”Adhikari claimed that a number of FIRs in opposition to TMC leaders had been ignored and accused the ruling get together of utilizing faith as a political device to safe its vote financial institution.