Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 17 (HBTV): A court in Kolkata on Saturday remanded social media influencer Sharmishta Panoli to 14 days’ judicial custody for allegedly posting content that hurt religious sentiments.

Panoli, a law student based in Pune, Maharashtra, was arrested by Kolkata Police from Gurugram, Haryana, on Friday night. She was produced before the Alipore Court on Saturday, which remanded her to judicial custody till June 13.

According to Kolkata Police, several attempts were made to serve legal notices to Panoli and her family, but those attempts failed as they were reportedly absconding. Following this, a court-issued arrest warrant led to her apprehension.

‘The case relates to an Instagram video by a lady named Sharmishta Panoli that hurt the religious sentiments of a particular community. An FIR was lodged at Garden Reach Police Station. Attempts to serve notice as per law couldn’t succeed as the accused, along with her family, was absconding. Subsequently, a warrant of arrest was issued by the court of law, based on which she was arrested from Gurugram yesterday,’ Kolkata Police stated.

Although the controversial video was deleted and an apology was issued by Panoli on May 15, the legal proceedings continued.

Speaking to ANI, Panoli’s lawyer Md Samimuddin said that a bail application has been filed. ‘We moved our bail application before the court, citing that the articles allegedly used in the case—namely, the mobile phone and laptop—have already been seized. The police had sought custody, but that prayer was turned down. The accused has been remanded to judicial custody till 13th June 2025,’ he said.

In a post on X, Kolkata Police rejected claims that Panoli’s arrest was unlawful. The force termed certain social media narratives as ‘factually incorrect and misleading’.

‘In reference to Garden Reach Police Station Case No. 136 dated 15.05.2025, certain social media narratives suggesting an unlawful arrest of a law student are factually incorrect and misleading,’ read the statement.

It added: ‘All legal procedures were duly adhered to. All attempts were made to serve notice, but she was found absconding on every occasion. Consequently, a warrant of arrest was issued by the competent court, following which she was apprehended lawfully from Gurugram. She was thereafter produced before the appropriate magistrate and granted transit remand as per due process of law.’

Kolkata Police urged the public not to circulate unverified or speculative information.

(ANI)