The Calcutta High Court on Thursday gave bail to Sharmistha Panoli, a 22-year-old social media influencer, after she was arrested by Kolkata Police for her alleged comments about Operation Sindoor. Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury said that the complaint put forward against Panoli did not state a crime that could be prosecuted. For this reason, the court let her go on bail, but with strict requirements meant to guarantee she cooperates during the investigation.
Part of Sharmistha Panoli’s bail required her to present personal bonds and a value worth ₹10,000. She also needs to give up her passport, join the police investigation, and ask the court before leaving the country. The idea that individual freedom of speech must be checked by the law was stressed by the judge.
DP Singh argued on behalf of Panoli that the woman reacted emotionally to some videos and did not mean to spark hatred. “People should understand that she is only a student. They come across various stories on the internet and feel different emotions because of them. She only captured what was happening and shared it in the form of a 5–to 10-second video. Is it right to view that as a crime?” Singh asked. Moreover, he stated that Panoli quickly removed the video and offered an apology in public, and there had been no real violence from her statements.
Last week, the influencer was taken into custody in Gurugram, Haryana, and moved to Kolkata. Many say that her words in a video concerning Bollywood and Operation Sindoor go against religious sentiments.
Singh pointed out that the client faced unfair treatment because of the community’s anger. The officer pointed out that she was just affected by her surroundings and what she saw, not really in the wrong.
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