Assam Police Hunts Man Who Filed Complaint Against Influencer Sharmishta Panoli
In a dramatic turn of events, a team from Assam Police has arrived in Kolkata with an arrest warrant for Wajahat Khan—the very man whose complaint led to the arrest of 22-year-old social media influencer and law student, Sharmishta Panoli. Now, Khan himself is facing serious charges and has gone into hiding.
Authorities allege that Wajahat Khan made multiple social media posts filled with hate speech and derogatory remarks that hurt religious sentiments. These offenses have prompted both the Assam Police and Kolkata Police to register cases against him. A Kolkata-based trust, Shri Ram Swabhiman Parishad, also filed a formal complaint leading to further legal action.
When police visited his residence in Kolkata, Khan was nowhere to be found. Officials believe he is evading arrest and may be linked to similar cases in other states as well.
The controversy began when Khan accused Sharmishta Panoli of sharing a video on Instagram that allegedly contained hate speech. Her sudden arrest from Gurugram sparked outrage. According to her lawyer, Mohammed Shamimuddin, basic legal protocols were bypassed. “The police didn’t even try contacting her by phone. They went straight for a warrant and arrest—this was nothing short of harakiri,” he told NDTV.
Panoli’s arrest drew sharp criticism and ignited political tensions. The BJP and its allies lashed out at West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee government, accusing it of curbing free speech. After her arrest, she was produced in court and sent to 14 days of judicial custody.
The case even attracted international attention. Dutch MP and far-right leader Geert Wilders voiced his support for Panoli, calling her arrest a “disgrace for freedom of speech” and appealing to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene.
As the legal battle unfolds, this case highlights the fine line between free expression and offensive speech in India’s digital age—and raises serious questions about how the law is being applied.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
