Explained: Why influencer and law student Sharmistha Panoli was arrested following controversial video?

Social media influencer and law student Sharmistha Panoli has been placed in 14 days judicial custody following her arrest over a controversial Instagram video that allegedly hurt sentiments of Indians, according to report on NDTV.

Who is Sharmistha Panoli?

According to her LinkedIn profile, Sharmistha Panoli is a fourth-year law student at a college in Pune. She also maintains a strong presence on social media, with over 94,000 Instagram followers.

She is known for her political commentary-style content, often sharing her views on current affairs and social issues. However, after facing criticism over her recent video, she removed all content from her Instagram account.

The now-deleted video, posted on May 14, allegedly contained remarks that were considered inflammatory and offensive.

Panoli reportedly responded to a comment questioning India's military action in light of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. In her video, she also appeared to criticise Bollywood celebrities and content creator Ranveer Allahbadia, accusing them of not speaking up on the issue.

Her language and tone drew widespread criticism, with many accusing her of promoting enmity and using inappropriate language.

Following the online backlash, Panoli deleted the video and issued an apology. However, the matter had already caught the attention of authorities.

An FIR was filed against her under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to promoting enmity between groups and hurting religious sentiments.

Kolkata Police said they had tried to serve her legal notices on multiple occasions. After failing to locate her, they tracked her down to Gurugram, where she was arrested on May 31 based on a court-issued warrant.

According to the same report on NDTV, on being produced before the Alipore Court, bail was denied, and Sharmishta Panoli was remanded to judicial custody until June 13.

Her legal team argued that she had already deleted the video and that the police had seized all digital evidence, making custody unnecessary. However, the court rejected this plea.

Kolkata Police have stated that due process was followed throughout the arrest.

Sharmishta Panoli has been booked under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those pertaining to:

The case has triggered fresh conversations around freedom of speech, online accountability, and the legal limits of digital expression.