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Man who accused Sharmishta Panoli goes ‘missing’ after multiple cases against him: Report
Sharmishta, 22, was arrested by Kolkata Police on May 30 from Gurugram after Wajahat Khan accused her of spreading communal hate through a now-deleted video.
Wajahat Khan, the man whose police complaint led to the arrest of social media influencer and law student Sharmishta Panoli in Gurugram, has allegedly gone missing, India Today reported.
Panoli, 22, was arrested by Kolkata Police on May 30 from Haryana's Gurugram based on a complaint filed by Wajahat Khan at the Garden Reach police station. She was accused of spreading communal hatred through a now-deleted video in which she used abusive language and criticised Bollywood celebrities for remaining silent on Operation Sindoor. Following her arrest, Panoli was produced before a Kolkata court and remanded in judicial custody till June 13.
The incident triggered a political controversy, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticising the arrest, noting that Panoli had already deleted the video and apologised.
Reports of Khan’s disappearance have surfaced after multiple complaints were lodged against him in various locations, including Kolkata.
Multiple complaints against Wajahat Khan
Kolkata Police has received a formal complaint against 30-year-old Wazahat Khan Qadri Rashidi, a resident of the city. According to India Today, the complaint was filed by the Shree Ram Swabhiman Parishad, alleging that Khan posted derogatory and inflammatory remarks against the Hindu community on social media.
The complaint, addressed to the Officer-in-Charge of the Garden Reach Police Station and dated June 2, requests the registration of an FIR under sections 196(1)(a), 299, 352, and 353(1)(c) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with sections 66A and 67 of the IT Act.
It accuses Khan of using terms such as “rapist cultures” and “urine drinkers” to refer to Hindus. The complaint also claims that Khan employed sexually explicit and vulgar language while insulting Hindu deities, traditions, temples, and festivals.
According to the letter, Khan’s remarks are aimed at provoking communal discord, disturbing public order, and promoting hostility among religious communities. It calls for swift police action to avoid any escalation of tensions.
Separately, an advocate lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police and Cyber Crime Unit, accusing Khan of hate speech, religious defamation, and offensive content under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and IT Act.
Meanwhile, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday that a case has been filed in the state against a man from West Bengal for allegedly insulting several Hindu deities, including Goddess Kamakhya. The Assam government has approached West Bengal for his custody, and Sarma noted, "time alone will tell how they react to the request and cooperate with us."
What did Khan's father say?
Wajahat Khan’s father said that the complainant has not been seen since Sunday night, and the family has been receiving threatening phone calls ever since Sharmistha Panoli’s arrest.
“My son is innocent and secular. He cannot insult Hinduism. We have been receiving threats since Sharmistha's arrest,” Saadat Khan said during an interview with Aaj Tak, a sister channel of India Today.
When asked about the complaint accusing his son of insulting Hinduism, Saadat Khan suggested that Wajahat’s social media account might have been hacked.
He added that Wajahat had been extremely disturbed by the barrage of abusive and threatening phone calls in recent days, with people accusing him of having ruined Panoli’s life. Saadat Khan said he, too, was targeted with similar threatening calls and verbal abuse.
