Kolkata. The Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted interim bail to social media influencers and law students Sharmistha Panoli. Sharmistha Panoli has been accused of misunderstanding about Prophet Mohammed. A video was released by Sharmistha Panoli. In which while targeting Pakistan, he had said controversial talk about the Prophet. After the uproar over this, Sharmishtha Panoli deleted the video and apologized. At the same time, Wajahat Khan of Kolkata had filed a case against Sharmistha Panoli. After which Kolkata Police arrested Sharmishtha Panoli from Gurugram in the past. The court first sent Sharmistha Panoli to jail in judicial custody. The matter is very echoed in social media. All users have questioned the action of Kolkata Police. At the same time, Vajahat Khan, who filed a case against Sharmishtha, has also been booked in Assam for making a controversial statement about Hindu deities. Wajahat is said to be missing since last Sunday.
While hearing the interim bail application of Sharmishtha Panoli, Justice Raja Basu of the Calcutta High Court sanctioned interim bail. The Calcutta High Court has imposed several conditions in granting bail to Sharmishtha. Sharmistha Panoli will not be able to leave the country. Along with this, they have to get the approval of the Chief Judicial Magistrate i.e. CJM to go out of the country. Also, Sharmishtha Panoli will also have to pay a bail amount of Rs 10,000 in the trial court. Sharmishtha’s lawyer claimed in the Calcutta High Court that his client was being threatened with death. On this, the court has asked the Kolkata police to take appropriate steps on the application given by Sharmishtha Panoli on the security issue.
Wajahat Khan of Kolkata has filed a case against Sharmistha Panoli.
Earlier, the Calcutta High Court refused to give bail to Sharmistha immediately after hearing in the past. The High Court bench said at that time that freedom of expression does not mean that we can hurt someone’s religious sentiments. The court had said that even if the maximum period of punishment in a crime is less than 7 years, the police can arrest the accused. The court also said that someone should take care while commenting. The bench had said that people of different caste, religion and community live together in the country. The court has considered the case registered at Kolkata’s Gardenrich police station as the main case against Sharmishtha Panoli. The Calcutta High Court has ordered the closure of whatever cases have been registered in another place.
