The student’s arrest followed widespread public demands for legal action, notably from All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Waris Pathan
NEW DELHI – A fourth-year student at the Pune-based Symbiosis Institute of Law has been arrested for allegedly making derogatory and incendiary remarks against Prophet Muhammad on social media. The video post, which sparked outrage among the Muslim community, was shared on May 14 via her X account (@Sharmishta__19) and has since been deleted.
Kolkata Police apprehended Panoli on Friday from her Gurugram residence in Haryana, media reports said on Saturday.
A day after the post, Panoli had issued an unconditional apology, stating that her remarks reflected personal feelings and were not intended to hurt anyone. Despite this, an FIR was registered by Maharashtra Police on May 20 under sections 196 (promoting enmity), 299 (deliberate insult with intent to outrage religious feelings), and 353 (public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Panoli is also an Instagram influencer. A video uploaded on her Instagram account also allegedly contained communal overtones. The video reportedly accused Bollywood actors of maintaining silence over Operation Sindoor, a military operation undertaken by India after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
The controversial video stirred significant outrage on social media. The video quickly went viral and drew backlash from many users. Several people trolled her in the comments, and she received numerous threatening messages in response to her remarks.
Facing heavy criticism, Panoli deleted the video from her account and issued an apology. However, by that time, the Kolkata Police had already registered a complaint against her. Legal notices were then issued and sent to her and her family members.
The student’s arrest followed widespread public demands for legal action, notably from All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Waris Pathan, who condemned the remarks and called for her arrest.
The arrest was not devoid of procedural wrangles. Reports said the Kolkata Police detained Panoli without prior legal notice or presenting an arrest warrant at the time of arrest, raising questions about procedural legality. A Delhi magistrate later approved transit remand, permitting Panoli’s custody transfer to Kolkata.
“Several attempts were made to send legal notices to Panoli and her family, but they disappeared. After that, the police placed the matter before the court. The court issued her arrest warrant, and on Friday night, Kolkata Police arrested her from Gurugram,” a police officer was quoted by Press Trust of India as saying.
The case has sparked polarised reactions online, with some viewing the arrest as necessary to uphold religious respect and others criticising it as suppressing free speech and nationalist expression during a tense India-Pakistan atmosphere. A social media group named Team Rising Falcon claimed credit for advocating Panoli’s arrest.
