Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday (June 3) denied interim relief to Sharmistha Panoli in offensive video case, saying our country is full of diversity and sentiments of a section of the people of the country have been hurt by the offensive video.
The High Court directed the state government of West Bengal to file case diary at the next hearing.
The bench, while denying relief to Panoly, said that the citizens have freedom of speech but the same does not mean that one can hurt the sentiments of others.
“We have freedom of speech but that does not mean you hurt sentiments of others. Our country is full of diversity,” the bench said.
The counsel appearing for Panoli argued before the court for quashing of the case, her arrest should be declared illegal and she should be granted bail firthwith, submitting the complaint against her did not disclose any cognizable offence.
The court, however, rejected the submissions of Panoli’s counsel and refused to grant interim relief to her.
The court, during the hearing, recorded the statement made by the State of West Bengal that that all facilities available to inmates will also be made available to the influencer.
22-year-old female influencer Panoli was arrested by the Kolkata Police from Gurugram in Haryana for allegedly uploading a video with communal comments claiming Bollywood actors were silent on Operation Sindoor.
Panoli has been booked under for promoting enmity between different groups, malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace.
A local West Bengal court on Saturday sent the influencer in judicial custody till June 13.
The counsel representing Panoli on Monday filed a petition before an Alipore Court, alleging that the influencer was denied basic amenities in jail and was threatened by other inmates. As per her lawyer Mohammed Samimuddin, the Alipore court has sought a report in this regard by June 4.
