Instagram influencer and law student Sharmistha Panoli’s arrest shook social media and politics. The complaint against her came from Wajahat Khan — a name now in the spotlight for very different reasons. So, who is Wajahat Khan, and why is he facing multiple complaints himself?
Wajahat Khan: From Complainant to Accused
Wajahat Khan, co-founder of the Rashidi Foundation in Kolkata, filed the complaint that led to Panoli’s arrest. He accused her of sharing a video with hate speech that hurt religious feelings. But after Panoli’s arrest, people dug into Khan’s social media. The findings were surprising — and controversial.
Khan’s posts reportedly contain offensive remarks against Hindu deities, festivals, and customs. Complaints say he used hateful language like “rapist cultures” and “urine drinkers” to describe Hindus. His posts allegedly mocked temples and Hindu festivals with vulgar and sexually explicit language. These complaints have now been filed in multiple cities including Kolkata, Guwahati, and Delhi.
One complainant, the Shree Ram Swabhiman Parishad, alleges Khan’s posts promote enmity between religious groups — which is a serious offense under Indian law. Police in Assam, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, have also shown interest in taking legal action.
Khan Has Gone Missing Amid Threats
Since the complaints surfaced, Wajahat Khan has gone missing from his Kolkata home. His father, Saadat Khan, said the family has been getting threatening calls. Saadat insists Wajahat is innocent and secular and suggested his social media might have been hacked.
Why Was Sharmistha Panoli Arrested?
Sharmistha Panoli was arrested after a complaint filed in May said she posted a video that hurt religious sentiments. The video criticized Bollywood actors for not speaking on Operation Sindoor — an Indian military strike in Kashmir. The video contained strong, communal language, and though Panoli deleted it and apologized, the Kolkata Police arrested her from Gurugram and sent her to 14 days judicial custody.
The arrest sparked political uproar. BJP leaders accused the ruling TMC of targeting Hindu voices while ignoring similar remarks from their own leaders. Suvendu Adhikari and Sukanta Majumdar called it selective policing and “vote bank politics.”
This whole episode highlights the tricky balance between free speech and hate speech. It also exposes how social media outrage can spiral, with both complainants and accused facing public backlash.
Kolkata Police say hate speech is not free speech. Meanwhile, questions about fairness and political bias continue to swirl around this case.
