Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman and Rajya Sabha MP Manan Kumar Mishra has strongly criticised the arrest of 22-year-old law student and Instagram influencer Sharmistha Panoli by the Kolkata Police. As, Sharmistha Panoli was allegedly detained over a social media video that hurt religious sentiments.
In a public statement, Manan Kumar Mishra has called the arrest arbitrary and a violation of democratic principles.
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He said:
"Mere wrong choice of words cannot be considered a blasphemous character. It is inhuman that a young law student is made a scapegoat and subjected to harsh legal action, while past atrocities on particular communities by state-sponsored individuals and entities are ignored. True democracy demands fairness, restraint and equal protection of rights, not selective outrage and vengeance." Sharmistha Panoli, a student of Symbiosis International University in Pune, was arrested in Gurugram and brought to Kolkata on transit remand after she posted a video related to 'Operation Sindoor'. The video, which was later deleted, led to a formal complaint and she was subsequently arrested. Despite an immediate apology, she has been sent to 14 days of judicial custody by a Kolkata court.
Manan Kumar Mishra stressed that Sharmistha Panoli's apology should have been considered and her right to freedom of speech and expression cannot be ignored.
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He further added:
"I stand firmly with Sharmistha Panoli, whose arrest and judicial detention for a now-deleted social media video – despite her immediate apology – is a complete failure of justice and a blatant assault on freedom of expression. The Bengal government and Kolkata police have once again proven their pattern of excessive, selective and politically motivated action, targeting individuals from particular communities while ignoring or even protecting far more serious acts committed by others."
The incident has sparked widespread political controversy. BJP MP Kangana Ranaut criticised the West Bengal government, warning them not to "make Bengal North Korea", a sign of authoritarian behaviour. Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan also condemned the arrest, calling it "selective outrage".
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Sharmishtha Panoli's legal representatives are preparing to request an early court hearing to address her detention. The case underlines the growing legal scrutiny of online influencers and the content they share on digital platforms.
