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Wajahad Khan, who led a legal campaign against Sharmistha Panoli, was arrested by Kolkata Police after absconding since June 1
Arrest. (Representative/News18)
In a dramatic turn of events, Wazahat Khan, the complainant who filed a complaint against law student Sharmistha Panoli and others over alleged defamatory social media posts, was arrested by Kolkata Police on Monday evening.
Khan was apprehended around 7:05 PM from the Amherst Street Police Station area. He had been absconding since June 1 after multiple complaints were filed against him, including some from Delhi and Assam. A team from Assam Police had also visited Kolkata in connection with the investigation.
Khan will be produced before a magistrate on Tuesday.
Initial Complaint Against Sharmistha Panoli
On May 15, 2025, Khan filed a formal complaint at Garden Reach Police Station, accusing Panoli of posting “malicious and false” content on social media that allegedly damaged his reputation and incited public unrest.
Who Is Wazahat Khan, The Man Behind Sharmishta Panoli’s Arrest?
Multiple FIRs Filed
Following his complaint, more than a dozen FIRs were registered across Kolkata and South 24 Parganas against Panoli. She was arrested from Gurugram and brought to Kolkata on a transit remand. A local court subsequently sent her to judicial custody.
Her family later approached the Calcutta High Court, and on June 5, Sharmistha was granted interim bail.
Cases Against Khan
Meanwhile, several complaints were filed against Wajahad Khan himself. Allegations from Delhi and Assam emerged, and he went into hiding shortly after.
Speaking to News18 after Sharmistha’s arrest last week, her father, Prithviraj Panoli, said, “The law will take its course.”
Kamalika Sengupta, Editor, Digital East of News18, is a multilingual journalist with 16 years of experience in covering the northeast, with specialisation in politics and defence. She has won UNICEF Laadli Awar…Read More
Kamalika Sengupta, Editor, Digital East of News18, is a multilingual journalist with 16 years of experience in covering the northeast, with specialisation in politics and defence. She has won UNICEF Laadli Awar… Read More
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