Who is Sharmishta Panoli, Instagram influencer held for controversial remarks linked to Op Sindoor?

A 22-year-old law student from Pune, Sharmishta Panoli, was arrested on Friday in Gurugram for her controversial remarks.

Social media content creator Sharmishta Panoli has been arrested in Haryana's Gurugram by Kolkata Police for allegedly posting a communal video that sparked widespread outrage online.

Following the backlash, Sharmishta Panoli deleted the post and issued a public apology.(X - @SSYadav108)

In a now-deleted Instagram video, Sharmishta Panoli, who was arrested late Friday night in Haryana's Gurugram, had reportedly made controversial remarks criticising Bollywood celebrities for their silence on "Operation Sindoor."

According to police sources, the video sparked severe backlash, with many users accusing her of promoting hate speech. The influencer was heavily trolled and received threatening messages in the comments.

Following the backlash, Sharmishta Panoli deleted the post and issued a public apology, but by then, an FIR had already been filed in Kolkata.

Authorities claimed that several attempts were made to serve legal notices to Sharmishta Panoli and her family. When she went untraceable, a court issued an arrest warrant, leading to her eventual detention in Gurugram.

Who is Sharmishta Panoli?

A 22-year-old law student from Pune, Sharmishta Panoli, was arrested on Friday in Gurugram for her controversial remarks linked to Operation Sindoor.

Sharmishta Panoli had deleted the allegedly offensive post on Instagram and apologised for her remarks on X as well as Instagram. She was produced before a Gurugram court and was brought to Kolkata on transit remand, Indian Express reported, citing officials.

As per police sources, the FIR was lodged under sections 196(1) (a) promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste, or community, 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class of citizens), 352 ( intentional insult with the intent to provoke a breach of peace), 353(1)(c) (statements that incite public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

After the controversy, Panoli made her Instagram account private and deleted all the posts from her other handle, but in her May 15 story highlight, she issued an unconditional apology stating she never intended to hurt anyone's religious feelings.

Panoli is expected to be presented before a Kolkata court on May 31, where further legal proceedings will outline the direction of the case. Her legal team will likely challenge the legality of the arrest, citing procedural irregularities and the context of her apology.

Meanwhile, the case continues to trend on social media platforms like X, with hashtags like#ReleaseSharmishtaand#ArrestSharmishtareflecting the divided public sentiments.

(with PTI inputs)