The Calcutta High Court has granted interim bail to Sharmishta Panoli, a 22-year-old law student and social media influencer, who was arrested in connection with her controversial post related to Operation Sindoor.
Panoli was taken into custody on May 30 in Gurugram following outrage over a now-deleted video allegedly hurting religious sentiments. As part of her bail conditions, she has been barred from leaving India without prior permission from the Chief Judicial Magistrate and must deposit ₹10,000.
Furthermore, the High Court has directed Kolkata Police to act on Panoli’s petition regarding threats to her safety—an issue she raised before her arrest. The court’s intervention marks a crucial juncture in a case that has sparked nationwide debate on freedom of speech and legal accountability in digital spaces.
Earlier, Panoli’s father, Prithviraj, disputed claims that his daughter was absconding, asserting that both had cooperated with authorities and presented documented proof of their visits to police headquarters. Despite deleting the video and issuing an apology, multiple FIRs were filed against Panoli, which the court has now consolidated into a single case to be investigated in Kolkata.
With the interim bail granted, Panoli awaits the next hearing in her legal battle, as discussions around online content moderation, legal implications, and personal safety continue to unfold.
