Calcutta High Court Grants Interim Bail To Influencer Sharmistha Panoli

The Calcutta High Court granted interim bail to influencer Sharmistha Panoli, arrested for communal comments in a video linked to Operation Sindoor, sparking political and legal controversy.

Calcutta High Court Grants Interim Bail To Influencer Sharmistha Panoli

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In a significant development, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli, who was recently arrested for allegedly posting a video containing communal comments.

The 22-year-old influencer was arrested by Kolkata Police from Gurugram, Haryana, on May 30, after several FIRs and complaints were lodged against her. The arrest followed a video Panoli had posted on May 14, in which she allegedly made inflammatory and derogatory remarks targeting a specific community. The video sparked widespread outrage and led to accusations of hurting religious sentiments.

While granting interim bail, the court directed Panoli to furnish a bail bond of ₹10,000.

In the controversial video, Panoli had made critical remarks targeting Bollywood actors in the context of Operation Sindoor, an Indian military operation reportedly undertaken in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 individuals, most of them tourists. Facing intense backlash, Panoli later deleted the video and issued a public apology.

Bail Denied Earlier

Earlier this week, the High Court had denied interim bail to Panoli, stressing the importance of responsible speech in a diverse country like India.

“Look, we have freedom of speech, but that doesn't mean you will go on to hurt others. Our country is diverse, with people from different castes, creeds, and religions. We must be cautious by saying this. So, the day after tomorrow. Heavens will not fall,”
Justice Partha Sarathi Chatterjee had observed.

The court had also instructed the West Bengal government to produce the case diary by June 5.

Panoli’s lawyer argued that no criminal offence had been made out in the complaint against his client. He contended that the video was part of a larger exchange of comments on social media during Operation Sindoor, which involved users from both India and Pakistan.

The arrest has ignited a political storm in West Bengal, with the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleging bias and selective action by the authorities.

Describing the arrest as “selective enforcement,” the BJP accused the Kolkata Police of acting in “uncharacteristic haste.”