Sharmistha Panoli, a 22-year-old law student and Instagram influencer, arrested in Gurugram by the Kolkata Police for a communally sensitive social media post, has received unexpected international support. Dutch MP and far-right Party for Freedom leader Geert Wilders has strongly condemned her arrest, calling it a “disgrace for freedom of speech”.
Wilders tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an X post and wrote, “Free the brave Sharmishta Panoli! It’s a disgrace for the freedom of speech that she was arrested. Don’t punish her for speaking the truth about Pakistan and Muhammad. Help her @narendramodi.”
Free the brave Sharmishta Panoli!
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) May 31, 2025
It’s a disgrace for the freedom of speech that she was arrested.
Don’t punish her for speaking the truth about Pakistan and Muhammad.
Help her @narendramodi! @AmyMek #Sharmishta#IStandwithSharmishta #ReleaseSharmistha #FreeSharmishta pic.twitter.com/YhGSLhuyr2
Wilders had previously voiced support for BJP’s Nupur Sharma in 2022 over a similar controversy.
Panoli was taken into custody reportedly on Friday night (May 30) for hurting religious sentiments through a video she posted on May 14. The video was in response to a question from a Pakistani follower about India’s military operation following the Pahalgam terror attack. She was accused of making derogatory remarks about Islam and Prophet Muhammad.
AIMIM national spokesperson Waris Pathan shared the video allegedly posted by Sharmistha, accusing her of insulting Islam and attempting to incite communal tensions. In his post, Pathan tagged the Home Minister and called for her immediate arrest.
Though Panoli removed the video and issued an unconditional apology on May 15, an FIR was filed in Kolkata. The charges include promoting enmity on religious grounds and deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings. Panoli then posted 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.”
Kolkata Police defended the arrest, stating that Panoli was produced before a magistrate and granted transit remand according to legal procedures. The department dismissed social media claims of unlawful arrest as “factually incorrect and misleading.”
