Bail Hearing Set for Influencer Sharmistha Panoli Amid Justice Outcry
Social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli's bail plea was rejected, but the Calcutta High Court set a hearing date for June 5. The court ordered police to produce the case diary for review and barred new FIRs against her. Panoli's arrest sparked criticism over freedom of expression issues.
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The Calcutta High Court has denied interim bail to social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli, setting a hearing for June 5 after directing police to provide the case diary. Panoli's lawyer, Md Samimuddin, reported that the court also mandated the provision of adequate amenities in her correctional facility and restricted new FIR filings against her.
Samimuddin shared, "The court has asked the state to present the case diary for a bail hearing on the 5th. It also required that the correctional home offers essential amenities and ordered that no further FIRs should be lodged for the same issue. We remain hopeful for bail on June 5." Panoli, a 22-year-old law student from Pune, was apprehended in Gurugram for allegedly posting a video that hurt religious sentiments. Despite deleting the video and apologizing, she was taken to Kolkata for judicial custody.
On June 1, Manan Kumar Mishra, Chairman of the Bar Council of India, criticized Panoli's arrest, labeling it a severe miscarriage of justice and an assault on free expression. Mishra accused the Bengal government and Kolkata Police of consistently applying the law selectively, targeting certain communities while ignoring greater offences by others.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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