The rise of smartphones and the internet has democratized the flow of information. Now, anyone can create the content they want. However, in the hyperconnected digital society we live in today, the distinction between responsible and free expression is becoming increasingly blurred. The recent case of Sharmishta Panoli, a 22-year-old social media influencer, has become a prime example of this.
Her alleged post consisting of derogatory and communally charged remarks on Bollywood celebrities in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor has become a hot topic of discussion recently. Not only did she become notorious, but she also got arrested for what she had done. Now, reports are coming that she has apologized for the statement.
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Who is Sharmishta Panoli?
Sharmishta Panoli is a 22-year-old Indian law student and social media influencer. She hails from Kolkata and is currently pursuing her legal studies at Symbiosis Law School in Pune. She was currently an intern at a law firm.
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Panoli rose to fame by sharing content that connected with a wide audience on social media sites like Instagram. She has about 90,000 followers on Instagram, and several well-known people, including actor Ram Kapoor, follow her. She has 80k followers on X (previously Twitter).
What did Sharmishta Panoli post that led to her arrest?
Sharmishta Panoli, who is well-known for her candid opinions on current events, gained national attention after she shared a controversial video on May 14, 2025, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack and remarks made by a Pakistani fan endorsing the attackers.
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In response to the Pakistani user who questioned India’s military position, Panoli uploaded a video. She also attacked Bollywood stars in her video for keeping quiet about Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army’s response to the terror attack. However, things went wrong when she made disrespectful remarks regarding Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. This escalated the issue, and the situation became more intense.
Welldone Kolkata police ….Kolkata Police has arrested Pune law student and Instagram influencer Sharmishtha Panoli from Gurgaon, Haryana where she had posted a video criticising some celebrities, the Muslim community and making personal attacks on Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). pic.twitter.com/q6S6UhMZyL
— Md. Abdullah (@mda524360) May 31, 2025
Following this, she has removed all of her postings from her Instagram and X handles.
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Sharmishta Panoli apologized for her controversial post
Following the removal of all of her posts, Sharmishta posted a story on her Instagram account, expressing regret for offending anyone. In her story, she wrote,
I do hereby tender my UNCONDITIONAL APOLOGY. Whatever was put are my personal feelings and I never intentionally wanted to hurt anybody. So anybody is hurt, I’m sorry… Henceforth, I will be cautious in my public posts.
Sharmishta Panoli was arrested for promoting religious animosity
Her viral post caused a significant uproar among internet users. It also resulted in the young influencer receiving countless threats. A total of 5 complaints were filed against Sharmishta in Kolkata. Finally, on May 31, 2025, the Kolkata Police apprehended Sharmishta from Gurugram, Haryana.
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According to police sources, the FIR was filed under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’s sections 196(1)(a) and 299 (intentional and malicious conduct aimed at hurting the religious feelings of any class of citizens), 352 (deliberate insult with intent to encourage a breach of peace), 353(1)(c) (statements that provoke public disorder), and 196(1)(a) (promoting animosity between various communities based on religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste, or community).
Sharmishta Panoli sent to judicial custody till June 13.
She said, “The harassment you have done being in a democracy, this is not a democracy.”
She is clearly under a lot of stress. She apologized and she is still getting rape & death threats.pic.twitter.com/Ix23wc5Plq
— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) May 31, 2025
Various netizens and actress Kangana Ranaut supported Sharmishta
As everything is going on, the case is still trending on social media sites like X, where hashtags like #ArrestSharmishta and #ReleaseSharmishta show the public’s division. However, there are many people on the other side who are supporting her in the name of free speech. Several users openly defended Sharmishta, labeling what is happening to her “harassment.” Actress Kangana Ranaut also came out in support of her. In her Instagram post, Kangana wrote,
I agree that Sharmistha used some unpleasant words for her expression, but such words most youngsters use these days. She apologised for her statements and that should be enough. No need to bully and harass her further. She should be released immediately.
Meanwhile, Sharmishta Panoli’s legal team claims that her apprehension goes against Supreme Court rules concerning several FIRs filed for the same offense. 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. In response to criticism, Kolkata Police released a statement stating that the proper legal procedure was followed. They further stated that despite everyone’s best efforts to serve notice, she consistently evaded arrest. For this reason, the appropriate court issued an arrest warrant.
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She apologized, but the lawsuit went forward. In order to ascertain whether any offensive or edited content was still present, the police confiscated her laptop and phone for forensic examination. Since the case is currently in court and an investigation is being conducted, it is likely to continue to garner media attention for some time.
What do you think about her arrest? Do share your thoughts with us in the comment section of this article.
