Sharmistha Panoli's accuser booked for hate speech, missing: Kolkata Police

Kolkata Police have filed an FIR against Wajahat Khan Qadri, who filed a case against influencer Sharmistha Panoli. Qadri is now absconding over allegations of posting hate content online

Kolkata Police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Wajahat Khan Qadri, who had earlier filed a complaint that led to the arrest of social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli. Senior police officers confirmed on Wednesday that Qadri is currently absconding.

 

According to officials, the FIR was based on a separate complaint accusing Qadri of posting “malicious and inflammatory” content online, allegedly intended to hurt the religious sentiments of a community. "He is presently absconding,' a senior Kolkata Police officer said, adding "We have started an investigation into the case."

Complaint by religious trust

The complaint was lodged by Shri Ram Swabhiman Parishad at Garden Reach Police Station in Kolkata — the same station where Qadri filed his case against Panoli. Reports indicate that several other complaints have also been filed against Qadri across the country, including in Mumbai and Assam, accusing him of spreading hate speech and making derogatory remarks about Hindu religious deities in his social media posts.

 

 

Qadri, who is associated with the Rashidi Foundation and lives in the Garden Reach area, is yet to be traced. His family, however, maintain that he is “innocent and secular”.

Panoli held following Qadri’s complaint

Based on Qadri’s complaint, Panoli was arrested in Gurugram last Friday for allegedly posting a video with communal remarks. She had commented on Bollywood celebrities remaining silent about Operation Sindoor.

 

On Saturday, she was brought before the Alipore Court in Kolkata, which remanded her to judicial custody until June 13. “We moved our bail application before the court, citing that the articles that have been allegedly stated by the prosecution to have been used, the mobile phone and the laptop, have already been seized," her lawyer, Md Samimuddin, told ANI. "Subsequently, the court heard our prayer. The police custody prayer was sought by the prosecution, which was turned down and rejected. The accused has been remanded to judicial custody till 13th of June, 2025.”

Police defend legality of arrest

Kolkata Police addressed concerns raised online over the legality of Panoli’s arrest. In a post on X, they stated, *“In reference to Garden Reach Police Station Case No. 136 dated 15.05.2025, certain social media narratives suggesting an unlawful arrest of a law student are factually incorrect and misleading.”*

 

They added, “All legal procedures were duly adhered to. All attempts were made to serve notice, but she was found absconding on every occasion. Consequently, a warrant of arrest was issued by the competent court, following which she was apprehended lawfully from Gurgaon. She was thereafter produced before the appropriate magistrate and granted transit remand as per due process of law.”

Viral video and backlash

The incident began when Panoli posted a video on Instagram on May 14, responding to a question from a Pakistani follower about India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack. In the video, she allegedly made offensive remarks about Islam and Prophet Muhammad and criticised Bollywood celebrities for not speaking out.

 

The video soon went viral, leading to a severe backlash, including rape and death threats against her. On May 15, she deleted the video and issued a public apology on X: “I do hereby tender my UNCONDITIONAL APOLOGY whatever was put are my personal feelings and I never intentionally wanted to hurt anybody so if anybody is hurt I’m sorry for the same. I expect co-operation and understanding. Henceforth, I will be cautious in my public post. Again please accept my apologies.”

 

She also said that her comments were a reaction to threats from “radical Pakistani terrorists”, and added, “Mere liye mera desh pehle aata hai (My country comes first for me)". Panoli, a law student in Pune, was subsequently arrested in Gurugram and taken to Kolkata on transit remand.