Kolkata, June 8: Indian influencer and law student Sharmistha Panoli was released from Kolkata’s Alipore Women’s Correctional Home on Friday, a day after the Calcutta High Court granted her bail in a hate speech case that drew national attention.
The 22-year-old, who was arrested by Kolkata Police on May 30 from Gurugram, Haryana, was granted bail on Thursday by Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury. The court directed her release on a ₹10,000 bond, with conditions that she cooperate with the ongoing investigation and refrain from leaving the country, except for educational purposes, pending court review.
Panoli was arrested under multiple charges including those relating to promoting enmity between groups and hurting religious sentiments, following a controversial video she posted on social media on May 15. The video, uploaded in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed at least 26 people, included communal comments and references to a so-called “Operation Sindoor”. Police classified the content as hate speech, sparking sharp debate on freedom of expression.
The video was deleted the same day and Panoli issued an unconditional apology. Despite this, the case proceeded, prompting protests from her supporters and criticism of the police action by opposition leaders.
In his order, Justice Chowdhury stated that custodial interrogation was unnecessary and that the investigating officer (I.O.) must give adequate notice if Panoli is to be summoned. The court also instructed authorities to ensure her personal safety, citing her counsel’s claim that she had received rape and death threats following her arrest and was feeling unsafe in jail due to hygiene concerns.
Additionally, the court directed the police to investigate the threats made against her and submit a report. It also ruled that no further FIRs should be registered on the same cause of action or similar allegations.
Panoli, who is currently a student at Symbiosis Law School in Pune, had been suspended for three months by the institution following her arrest. Her counsel stated that she would return next semester, in line with the suspension order.
Speaking to reporters after her release, Panoli’s father described her as a “proud Hindu” and thanked Hindu organisations for their support. Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the opposition in West Bengal, welcomed the court’s decision, calling it “justice served”, and accused the police of acting under political pressure. “This is yet another example of police eagerness to please their political masters,” Adhikari said in a post on X.
