NewKerala.com

Key Points

Sharmishta Panoli, a law student and social media influencer, has been arrested under controversial circumstances over an Instagram video. Her father, Prithviraj Panoli, claims the arrest is politically motivated and involves significant pressure from authorities. The young woman is currently in judicial custody, facing challenges with medical access and mental health in prison. Despite the difficult situation, her family remains committed to fighting the case legally and maintaining her reputation as a principled individual.

Key Points: Sharmishta Panoli Arrest Hindu Influencer Legal Battle

  • Law student arrested for controversial Operation Sindoor Instagram video
  • Father claims political pressure behind detention
  • Facing medical and mental health challenges in jail
  • Hindu organizations offering support
4 min read

Sharmishta - a proud Hindu - arrested under pressure, says her father (IANS Interview)

Law student Sharmishta Panoli arrested over controversial social media post, her father reveals pressure behind detention and challenges faced in jail

"She is a proud Hindu. She will not do anything which will hurt others. - Prithviraj Panoli, Father"

Kolkata, June 5

Prithiviraj Panoli, the father of social media influencer and law student Sharmishta Panoli, who is under judicial custody in connection with a controversial post on Operation Sindoor, revealed on Thursday that his daughter was arrested under "pressure".

In an exclusive interview with IANS, Prithviraj Panoli revealed some unknown facts about the entire matter.

Here are a few excerpts:

IANS: Is the Mamata government targeting Sharmishta?

Prithviraj Panoli: See, we are fighting legally. Now, is there any politics behind it? We are not bothered. We are just focused on getting our daughter released.

IANS: Do you think Sharmishta has been arrested due to appeasement politics?

Prithviraj Panoli: I don't want to go into this. Sharmishta is a proud Hindu. She will not do anything which will hurt others. If, unknowingly, she hurt somebody, it is a different matter. I don't want to comment on why a case was registered against her, but there was a lot of pressure on the government to arrest her.

IANS: Is Sharmishta facing a threat in the prison?

Prithviraj Panoli: As per jail rules, I spoke to her two days ago. She was facing problems on the medicine front. She is under medication for her kidney and Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These medicines can be obtained only after showing a prescription, and in a hurry, we are unable to find it. Moreover, in prison, there is a problem of mosquitoes, and the fan was unavailable. She is in trouble in jail.

IANS: How is Sharmishta's mental health in jail?

Prithviraj Panoli: She got shocked since the day she was brought from Gurugram, and her bail was rejected. I and her lawyer made her understand a lot. You must have seen her video, which went viral; she said it is not democracy. She is a law student. You can guess how her mental health would have been, as all the charges imposed against her were bailable.

IANS: Will you want the case to be transferred out of West Bengal?

Prithviraj Panoli: I do not want to comment on it right now. We will decide it after meeting with our lawyer.

IANS: Sharmishta's college has suspended her. What will she do now?

Prithviraj Panoli: She is doing an internship. She missed two examinations because of the suspension. We are sure that college will help us. We will talk to them when she is out of jail.

IANS: Were you aware of her social media post on Operation Sindoor?

Prithviraj Panoli: Sharmishta resides in Pune, and my wife and I live in Kolkata. She used to show us her posts, which had abusive comments. Being an old school of thought, I objected to the abusive language. But she had assured that nothing would happen, and I didn't need to worry. But I was unaware of her post on Operation Sindoor. She must be unaware of the meaning of the words she used.

IANS: Have you got any help from West Bengal's BJP unit?

Prithviraj Panoli: Our fight is legal. We have been offered support from Hindu organisations. She prays to Goddess Saraswati. Many people went to meet her in prison. I don't want to make it political, but we have a lot of support from Hindu outfits.

For the unversed, an FIR was registered against Panoli on May 15 in West Bengal, for posting an Instagram video, in which she made some comments on Operation Sindoor reportedly hurting the religious sentiments of a particular community.

She was arrested in Gurugram, Haryana, and brought to Kolkata on transit remand. She was produced before a court, which sent her to judicial custody till June 13.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
Freedom of speech should have limits when it hurts religious sentiments. As a law student, she should've known better. But denying basic medical care in jail is unacceptable - that's not how our justice system should work. Hope she gets bail soon.
P
Priya M.
The whole situation smells of political vendetta! 🤨 Why wasn't she given a warning first? Suddenly arresting for a social media post seems extreme. But her father saying she didn't understand the meaning of words...come on, she's a law student na!
A
Amit S.
Whether Hindu or Muslim, no one should make inflammatory comments about others' religions. But the jail conditions described are shameful - mosquitoes and no fan? This is 2024, not British era! Our prisons need urgent reforms.
S
Sneha R.
As a woman, I'm concerned about her safety in prison. Medical needs should be priority! But also, young influencers need to understand social media responsibility. You can't just post anything for likes and then play victim. 🙄
V
Vikram D.
The father says "she must be unaware of meaning of words" - then how is she studying law? Either take responsibility for your words or don't say them at all. But the college suspending her during legal process seems unfair.
N
Neha T.
Why is everything becoming Hindu vs Muslim these days? Can't we just live peacefully? Both sides need to stop provoking each other. And governments shouldn't use such cases for political mileage. #EnoughIsEnough

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50