Wazahat Khan was arrested in Kolkata for allegedly spreading hate online. He had earlier filed a complaint against influencer Sharmistha Panoli.
Kolkata: Yesterday, on June 09, Wazahat Khan, a 29-year-old man whose complaint had earlier led to the arrest of social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli on May 30, was himself taken into custody by Kolkata Police on the night of June 9, 2025.
He was arrested from the Amherst Street area of Kolkata after being on the run for nearly 10 days.
According to police officials, several First Information Reports (FIRs) were filed against Mr. Khan in different states, including one in Assam.
He was accused of “allegedly spreading hatred on social media and hurting religious sentiments.”
Kolkata Police confirmed that he had been booked under sections 196(1)(a), 299, 352, and 353(1)(c) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS)—India’s new criminal law code.
Despite multiple raids in areas like Digha and Howrah, Khan managed to evade arrest for several days. However, he was finally caught in connection with a case registered at Golf Green Police Station.
While Khan was missing, his father Sahadat Khan expressed concern over his son’s safety.
He stated,
“He was getting multiple calls throughout the day. He left home and his phone is switched off. We have not been able to find him since then, we are really worried.”
The arrest has sparked a political storm in West Bengal. BJP MP and State President Sukanta Majumdar sharply criticised the Mamata Banerjee-led state government.
He alleged that the arrest was done strategically to protect Khan and ensure his safety.
he claimed,
“The Mamata Banerjee government orchestrated his arrest through her subservient Kolkata Police to ensure his safe and protected custody under the State’s wing,”
A team of police officers from Assam had also been in Kolkata in connection with a case registered against Mr. Khan in Assam.
However, there were social media rumours claiming that Kolkata Police was not cooperating with the Assam Police during the investigation. These claims were strongly denied by the city police.
“Kolkata Police strongly refutes the misleading claim being circulated on social media suggesting non-cooperation with Assam Police,”
the department stated in an official clarification.
After Khan’s arrest, Sukanta Majumdar once again took to social media and wrote,
“Wazahat Khan’s arrest, immediately following the departure of Assam Police from Kolkata, is nothing but a textbook example of Mamata Banerjee’s age-old politics of appeasement.”
He further alleged,
“This was a blatant abuse of State machinery by the CM to protect notorious criminals.”
This development follows closely after influencer Sharmistha Panoli, who was earlier arrested based on Mr. Khan’s complaint, was released from Alipore Jail on June 6, 2025.
The Calcutta High Court granted her bail on June 5 against a personal bond of ₹10,000. Her legal team had informed the court that she was facing serious threats to her life following her arrest.
In response, the court directed the police to provide her with adequate protection.
The court also asked the police to offer her protection because her counsel stated that the young woman was receiving rape and death threats after her arrest.
Ms. Panoli’s arrest was linked to a video she posted online, which contained strong communal remarks and comments regarding “Operation Sindoor.”
The video was her reaction to the tragic terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which had left at least 26 people dead. Authorities considered her video as hate speech, though some supporters claimed it was an expression of free speech.
However, Kolkata Police clarified,
“Hate speech” should not be confused with “freedom of speech.”
Click Here to Read Our Reports on Sharmistha Panoli
