New Delhi [India], June 1: Actress and BJP Member of Parliament Kangana Ranaut has called for the immediate release of 22-year-old influencer Sharmishta Panoli, who was recently remanded to judicial custody in Kolkata after her arrest by West Bengal Police.
Kangana criticised the arrest and its consequences. “Harassing someone in the name of law and order is not good. When someone has apologised and deleted the post, putting her in prison, torturing her, ending her career and raising questions on her character is very wrong. This should not happen with any daughter,” she said.
Panoli, a law student based in Pune, was arrested late Friday from Gurugram, Haryana, in connection with an Instagram video allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Despite having deleted the video and issuing a public apology on May 15, she was produced in Alipore Court on Saturday and remanded to 14 days judicial custody.
Kangana further urged the West Bengal government not to adopt a repressive approach. “I urge the West Bengal government not to try to make the state into North Korea. Everyone has democratic rights. She has apologised for her indecent remarks. She said everything in general, and today’s generation uses such language very normally—both in English and Hindi,” she added.
West Bengal Police claimed that multiple attempts to serve legal notices to Panoli and her family failed as they were allegedly absconding. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued by the court, leading to her detention.
“The case relates to an Instagram video… that hurt the religious sentiments of a particular community. FIR was lodged in Garden Reach Police Station. Attempts to serve notice as per law couldn’t be successful since the accused and her family absconded,” stated Kolkata Police.
The arrest has sparked conversations around freedom of expression, internet speech, and the proportionality of legal action for online content, particularly involving young individuals.