Bar Council Of India Slams Arrest Of Law Student Sharmishta Panoli By Kolkata Police
In its statement, the BCI has stated that Panoli’s arrest for a now-deleted video, despite an apology, reflects a pattern of excessive, selective, and politically motivated action by the West Bengal Police.
The Bar Council of India has issued a strong statement condemning the arrest of law student Sharmishta Panoli by Kolkata Police for her remarks in now-deleted social media videos concerning Operation Sindoor. The statement, written by BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, who is also a Senior Advocate and Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, termed her arrest a “blatant assault on freedom of expression” and demands her immediate release and a fair trial.
Panoli was arrested on May 30, 2025, in Gurugram, Haryana, for allegedly making “communal” comments that were deemed hurtful to religious sentiments. She had reportedly apologized and taken down the content before the arrest.
In the statement dated June 1, 2025, the Bar Council of India said, “I stand firmly with Sharmistha Panoli, whose arrest and judicial custody for a now-deleted social media video – despite her immediate apology – represents an absolute failure of justice and a blatant assault on freedom of expression. The Bengal government and Kolkata Police have once again proved their pattern of excessive, selective, and politically motivated action, targeting individuals from particular communities while ignoring or even shielding far more egregious acts by others.”
The Council referred to what it described as a pattern of selective policing and political bias in the state. It stated, “History bears witness to the atrocities and violence perpetrated against specific groups in West Bengal, often with the complicity or direct involvement of government entities and political actors. From the Marichjhapi massacre of Hindu refugees, the Nandigram violence, and the repeated political killings, to the recent failures in protecting women and curbing communal violence, also the state-sponsored Murshidabad riots, where the administration failed to protect innocent lives and actively obstructed the deployment of central forces are a glaring example of this dangerous appeasement politics. Time and again, the state machinery has shielded those inciting or perpetrating violence against Hindus, while acting with unprecedented haste and severity against individuals like Sharmistha for expressing dissent. Yet, in these cases, justice has been slow or absent, and those responsible have often enjoyed impunity.”
Referring to Panoli’s now-deleted videos, the Council called the state’s reaction disproportionate, stating, “It is deeply troubling that the same government that opposed Operation Sindoor - a decisive counter-terror operation meant to avenge the brutal killing of innocents, now seeks to silence a young law student for questioning such similar double standards.”
On the characterisation of her statements, the Council emphasised the importance of context and restraint. “Mere wrong choice of words cannot be attributed a blasphemous character. It is unconscionable that a young law student is made a scapegoat and subjected to harsh legal action, while past atrocities on particular communities by government-sponsored persons and entities remain unaddressed. True democracy demands impartiality, restraint, and the equal protection of rights, not selective outrage and vendetta", it added.
Concluding the statement, the Bar Council of India called upon the West Bengal government and police to cease targeting individuals for dissent and instead uphold constitutional protections, writing, “I call upon the Bengal government and its police to abandon this dangerous path of targeting select voices and to uphold the rule of law for all. I demand Sharmistha’s immediate release, a fair trial, and an end to the double standards that have long plagued the state’s administration of justice.”
