‘Poor hygiene in Kolkata jail,’ says lawyer of arrested Instagram influencer Sharmishta Panoli

The lawyer for Instagram influencer Sharmishta Panoli, arrested by Kolkata Police for allegedly posting a video related to Operation Sindoor, has complained about poor hygiene in Kolkata jail and has sought access to basic rights for his client at the Alipore Women’s Correctional Home.

Panoli’s advocate, Md Samimuddin, filed a petition in court on Monday, complaining about poor hygiene in Kolkata Jail, and said that his client is suffering from kidney stones. He added that she has also not been given basic amenities like access to newspapers and magazines in the correctional home.

“At Alipore Women’s Correctional Home, proper hygiene is not being maintained around her, and she is unwell. She has kidney stones. She is not being given access to newspapers and magazines. Today, we have filed a petition in the court so that she gets access to her basic rights... Sharmishtha is innocent. We are trying our best to get out on bail,” the advocate told news agency ANI.

“We are trying our best to get her out of jail before June 13. We will sit down on the matter today and discuss it. We will take a call in one or two days about what we will do,” he added.

The Kolkata Police had arrested Sharmishtha for allegedly uploading a video with communal comments, claiming Bollywood actors were silent on Operation Sindoor.

Kolkata Police dismissed criticism

The Kolkata Police dismissed criticism alleging that they “unlawfully” arrested the 22-year-old Instagram influencer and claimed that all legal procedures were followed.

“Kolkata Police acted lawfully according to the procedure established by law. The accused was not arrested for expressing patriotism or for personal belief; legal actions were taken for sharing offensive content which promotes hatred among the communities,” said a Kolkata Police post on Facebook.

“The case was duly investigated, and adhering to legal procedures, several attempts were made to serve notice u/s 35 of BNSS to the accused but every time she was found absconding,” the Kolkata Police stated.

“Consequently, a warrant of arrest was issued by the competent court, following which she was apprehended lawfully from Gurgaon during the daytime. She was thereafter produced before the appropriate magistrate and was granted transit remand as per due process of law. Later the court sent her to judicial custody,” it said.

“Some social media accounts are spreading false information that Kolkata Police unlawfully arrested a law student for opposing Pakistan. This narrative is mischievous and misleading,” it added.

Kolkata Police showed ‘overactiveness’ in arresting Panoli: BJP

BJP West Bengal president Sukanta Majumdar has criticised the Kolkata Police for their “overactiveness” in arresting Panoli.

“Sharmishtha Panoli, 22, a law student, arrested for a now-deleted video and a public apology. No riots. No unrest. Yet Mamata Banerjee’s police acted overnight—not for justice, but for appeasement. But when TMC leaders insult Sanatan Dharma… mock Maha Kumbh and push communal poison — there’s no FIR, no arrest, no apology,” Majumdar posted.

A case was lodged against Sharmishtha at the Garden Reach Police Station on May 15 based on allegations that she posted a video that Kolkata Police claimed “was insulting to the religious belief of a class of citizen of India and amounted to promoting disharmony and hatred between different communities”.

Panoli was booked for promoting enmity between different groups, malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings apart from intentional insult, and provoking breach of peace and was sent to judicial custody till June 13 after her bail petition was rejected by a Kolkata court.