Wazahat Khan, man who filed complaint against Sharmishta Panoli, arrested in Kolkata for hate speech

As per Kolkata Police, Khan was arrested from Amherst Street PS area in connection with a case registered against him regaridng hate speech.

Updated on: Jun 9, 2025, 21:23:49 IST

By HT News Desk

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Kolkata Police has arrested Wazahat Khan, a key complainant against influencer Sharmishta Panoli, on Monday. As per reports, the man was arrested in relation to the hate speech case.

Wazahat Khan, a key complainant against influencer Sharmistha Panoli, was arrested by Kolkata Police (Kolkata Police )

As per Kolkata Police, Khan was arrested from Amherst Street PS area in connection with a case registered against him at Golf Green Police Station.

ALSO READ | Sharmishta Panoli gets bail from Calcutta HC on three conditions. What are they?

“He has been booked under BNS Sections 196(1)(a)/299/352/353(1)(c) for allegedly spreading hatred on social media and hurting religious sentiments,” news agency ANI stated.

Who is Wazahat Khan?

Wazahat Khan was one of the key complainants in the case against law student and influencer Sharmishta Panoli

Khan, who had allegedly been on the run since June 1, was arrested by Kolkata Police after a series of raids and ignored summons.

In his complaint, Khan accused Panoli of hurting religious sentiments after her post on Operation Sindoor. In the now-deleted video, Panoli was heard using abusive language and made communal remarks against Muslim Bollywood stars for their silence on the military operation against Pakistan.

After Panoli's arrest, Wazahat khan's father told media reporters that he had not returned home and that the family had been receiving threat calls for "ruining Panoli's life"

In the cases filed against Khan, the man has been accused of using derogatory, inflammatory, and sexually explicit language targeting Hindu deities, traditions, and the community.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.