Sharmishtra Panoli's arrest a 'disgrace': Dutch MP seeks PM Modi's intervention to free 'brave' influencer

Geert Wildres is a far-right MP in Dutch Parliament known for his anti-Islam views. (AP Photo)

Terming the arrest of Pune-based law student and social media influencer Sharmistha Panoli despite her issuing an apology over her contentious remarks in a video on operation Sindoor a "disgrace", far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders has reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention in freeing her.

"Free the brave Sharmishta Panoli! It’s a disgrace for freedom of speech that she was arrested. Don’t punish her for speaking the truth about Pakistan and Muhammad. Help her @narendramodi! @AmyMek," he wrote in a post on X tagging the Prime Minister.

Wilders also shared a poster reading "All eyes on Sharmishtha Panoli" and asked PM Modi to help in securing her release.

Sharmishtha Panoli's arrest has triggered a political storm in India with leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party demanding her immediate release, pointing out that she had already deleted the contentious video and issued an apology. Her arrest, they said, constituted unfair targeting.

Panoli, a law student at Pune's Symbiosis International University, is a resident of Kolkata's Anandpur area. She was arrested from Gurugram by the Kolkata Police last week and harged under sections related to promoting enmity between groups, acts intended to outrage religious feelings, intentional insult, and provocation likely to cause a breach of peace, according to the Kolkata Police, according to PTI.

“Several attempts were made to serve legal notices to Panoli and her family, but they went incommunicado. The matter was then presented before the court, which issued an arrest warrant. On Friday night, she was arrested from Gurugram by Kolkata Police,” an officer said.

Panoli courted controversy over a now-deleted video allegedly targeting Bollywood celebrities on communal lines for remaining silent during Operation Sindoor. The video triggered significant backlash as several accused her of spreading hate speech and threatening her online.

Panoli later issued an apology and deleted the video. "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 said in a social media post.

The Kolkata police has claimed that several attempts were made to serve legal notices to Panoli and her family, but they went incommunicado. The matter was then presented before the court, which issued an arrest warrant and Panoli was arrested on Friday night from Gurugram by Kolkata Police.

She was produced before a court in Alipore on Saturday, which remanded her to judicial custody until June 13 after rejecting her bail plea. Speaking to reporters while leaving the courtroom, she said, "The way this harassment is being done in a democracy — this is not democracy."