BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has demanded the immediate release of 22-year-old influencer Sharmishta Panoli, arrested by Kolkata Police, saying, “Don’t try to make the state into North Korea.” She condemned the move as authoritarian.
Actress and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut called for the release of 22-year-old influencer Sharmishta Panoli, who has been placed in judicial custody by a Kolkata court after her arrest by West Bengal Police in Gurugram, Haryana.
Kangana stated in an interview,
“Harassing someone in the name of law and order is not good. When someone has apologised and deleted the post, but putting her in prison, torturing her, ending her career and raising questions on her character is very wrong. This should not happen with any daughter,”
She further added,
“I urge the West Bengal government not to try to make the state into North Korea. Everyone has democratic rights. She has apologised for her indecent remarks. She had said everything in general and today’s generation uses such language very normally both in English and in Hindi. She should be released soon because she is a very young woman. She has her whole career and life ahead of her…”
Panoli, a law student from Pune, Maharashtra, was arrested by Kolkata Police on Friday night in Gurugram. The following day, she was brought before the Alipore Court in Kolkata, where she was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.
According to Kolkata Police, multiple efforts were made to deliver legal notices to Panoli and her family, but these attempts were unsuccessful as they were reportedly absconding.
An arrest warrant was later issued by the court, leading to her arrest in Gurugram on Friday.
The Kolkata Police stated,
“The case relates to an Instagram video by a lady named Sharmishta Panoli that hurt the religious sentiments of a particular community. FIR was lodged in Garden Reach Police Station. Attempts to serve notice as per law couldn’t be successful since the accused, with her family absconded. Subsequently, warrant of arrest was issued by the court of law, based on which she was arrested from Gurgaon yesterday,”
It is important to note that Panoli had deleted the video and issued an apology on May 15.
Sharmishta Panoli, a resident of Pune, is recognized for her bold and assertive statements in her social media videos. She previously shared content criticizing Pakistan and had recently expressed support for India’s Operation Sindoor.
In one of her latest now-deleted videos, she reportedly made communal remarks while calling out several Bollywood celebrities for their silence on Operation Sindoor.
According to the police, her Instagram video included “derogatory and disrespectful” comments directed at a specific religious community.
The video quickly gained attention online, attracting strong opposition from the public. Some users even sent her threatening messages in response to her remarks.
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE
