New Delhi: The Bar Council of Delhi On Monday strongly condemned as 'selective, excessive and politically motivated' the arrest of Sharmistha Panoli, the 22 year old law student arrested by the West Bengal Police over a social media video despite the fact that she immediately deleted it and apologized when some people found it hurtful.
Bar Council of Delhi Chairman and Delhi Legislative Assembly member Surya Prakash Khatri said in a statement that the 'high handedness and unnecessary haste' shown by Kolkata Police in arresting Sharmistha Panoli, as if she was a criminal, shows the 'selective, excessive and politically motivated action' of Kolkata Police.
This action by the Kolkata Police was no doubt done 'at the behest of West Bengal government,' the statement said.
It said that everyday violence, atrocities and brutalities perpetrated by groups in West Bengal are witnessed supported by the West Bengal government.
'There is rampant lawlessness with the active support of police,' Khatri said.
He demanded immediate release of Sharmistha Panoli to uphold justice.
Who is Sharmishta Panoli?
Sharmistha Panoli is a 22-year-old law student of Pune Law University. She is also a popular influencer with over 175,000 followers across X and Instagram.
Panoli, who shared a video slamming some Bollywood actors over their alleged silence on Operation Sindoor, deleted the post and apologised after backlash. An FIR was, however, filed in Kolkata, and she was arrested on May 30.
She has been charged under sections 196(1) (a) promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste, or community, 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class of citizens), 352 ( intentional insult with the intent to provoke a breach of peace), 353(1)(c) (statements that incite public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.