On June 5, 2025, the Calcutta High Court granted interim bail to social media influencer and law student Sharmistha Panoli, who was arrested on May 30 for allegedly posting a communal video that hurt religious sentiments. She has been released on a bail bond of ₹10,000, along with the following conditions:

• She must surrender her passport.
• Cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation.
• Not leave the country without court permission.

The court noted that the original arrest warrant dated May 22 lacked proper justification and appeared issued “mechanically.” It pointed out that the complaint didn’t disclose a cognizable offence, leading to the bail order.

Additionally, due to death threats received via X following the earlier bail denial, the court arranged police protection for her safety.

The bail is temporary, pending full investigation and a further hearing by a regular bench.

The court emphasized that freedom of speech doesn’t extend to harming communal harmony—yet procedural fairness and lack of clear offense in the initial warrant led to bail.

This case highlights the delicate balance Indian courts are drawing between protecting free expression and addressing communal sensitivity in social media content.