Bar Council of India Chairman, Senior Advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Manan Kumar Mishra has condemned the arrest of 22-year-old law student and social media influencer Sharmishta Panoli, calling it a “blatant assault on freedom of expression” and “an absolute failure of justice.”
In a press statement issued on June 1, Mishra demanded her immediate release and accused the West Bengal government and Kolkata Police of politically motivated and selective action.
Panoli was arrested on May 30 by Kolkata Police for a now-deleted video in which she criticised Bollywood actors for remaining silent on “Operation Sindoor”—India’s military response to the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack. The video, which drew backlash, included abusive language and remarks deemed derogatory towards Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. She later issued an unconditional apology and deleted the post.
Despite this, multiple FIRs were registered in Kolkata under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges related to promoting enmity, outraging religious sentiments, and inciting public mischief. According to police, Panoli failed to respond to legal notices, leading to her arrest from Gurugram on the basis of a court-issued warrant. She was produced before the Alipore Court and remanded to 14-day judicial custody until June 13.
In his statement, Mishra accused the West Bengal government and Kolkata Police of “excessive, selective, and politically motivated” action. He alleged a systemic bias where individuals from particular communities are targeted, while those responsible for serious acts of violence or hate speech are ignored or protected.
“History bears witness to the atrocities and violence perpetrated against specific groups in West Bengal, often with the complicity or direct involvement of government entities and political actors,” Mishra said. He cited the Marichjhanpi massacre of Hindu refugees, the Nandigram violence, and the Murshidabad riots as examples of such state complicity, alleging that in many cases, perpetrators enjoyed impunity.
He further criticised the state’s opposition to Operation Sindoor and argued that Panoli’s arrest reflected double standards: “It is deeply troubling that the same government that opposed Operation Sindoor… now seeks to silence a young law student for questioning such similar double standards.”
Mishra said it was “unconscionable” to brand the “mere wrong choice of words” as blasphemous and described Panoli’s arrest as scapegoating. “True democracy demands impartiality, restraint, and the equal protection of rights—not selective outrage and vendetta,” he said.
