A major turn of events has emerged following the arrest of 22-year-old law student and influencer Sharmishta Panoli, who was taken into custody by Kolkata Police from Gurgaon on 30th May. Her only “crime” was openly criticising the Pahalgam terror attack and Pakistan—views that many Indian citizens share. Now, the tables seem to be turning on her accuser.

In an interview with IANS, Shri Ram Swabhiman Parishad came forward in Sharmishta’s defence. The organisation’s Secretary, Suraj Kumar Singh, revealed a deeply unsettling truth: “The organisation that lodged FIR against Sharmishta, which led to her arrest, has its office in Karachi city of Pakistan.” He pointed out that the so-called NGO, named Sky Foundation, has Indian faces but Pakistani roots—raising serious national security concerns.

Singh added that members of Sky Foundation not only filed an FIR against her in Kolkata but even threatened to kill her if police failed to act. “The members of the foundation also threatened to take law in their own hands and kill her if police did not take action against her,” he explained. As a result, Kolkata Police launched an interstate operation and arrested Sharmishta in Gurgaon.

Singh then showed IANS a video recorded on his phone which allegedly captured members of the Sky Foundation cheering and shouting slogans in court premises—right where Sharmishta was presented after her arrest.

The Shri Ram Swabhiman Parishad is not taking the matter lightly. They have pledged to support Sharmishta in every way. Singh didn’t mince his words when he said: “She is our Hindu sister and if any harm is caused to her then Mamata Banerjee’s police will be responsible for it.”

In a direct and sharp attack on the West Bengal Government, Singh accused it of becoming a breeding ground for anti-Hindu sentiment. “The state has become a safe house for people involved in Hindu bashing as the state police takes no action against such people,” he asserted. Incidents like Hindu-targeted violence in Murshidabad and the open insults towards Hindu deities were cited as examples of selective law enforcement.

He further demanded an urgent investigation into Sky Foundation, stressing the need to examine “how an organisation registered in Pakistan is operating in India.”

In a startling twist just a day after Sharmishta’s arrest, two separate complaints have been filed against Wazahat Khan Qadri Rashidi—the very man who had accused her. Wazahat, who lodged a complaint against Sharmishta for allegedly insulting Islam, is now under fire for having a documented history of abusing Hindu gods and goddesses.

It turns out, Wazahat Khan Qadri Rashidi is the co-founder of the Rashidi Foundation in Kolkata, and had actively promoted Sharmishta’s arrest on social media. He shared posts demanding action, detailing the complaint process, and finally celebrating her arrest online.

However, a deeper look into his digital footprint revealed a disturbing pattern. The same man who claimed to be outraged over an “insult” to Islam, had himself posted vulgar and demeaning content against Hindu deities, many of which he deleted after backlash.

Delhi-based Advocate Vineet Jindal has filed a comprehensive complaint with the Cyber Crime Unit of Delhi Police, calling for an FIR under sections 194, 195, 356 of BNS and 66, 67, 69 of the IT Act.

In his submission, he stated:
“I am writing to lodge a formal complaint regarding a series of extremely offensive, hateful, and defamatory posts circulating on social media by an individual named Wazahat Khan Qadri Rashidi, whose profiles and posts are available publicly on platforms like Twitter (now X). The individual has made repeated posts containing Hate speech targeting the Hindu community, its beliefs, practices, and revered figures including Lord Krishna. Sexually explicit and vulgar language mocking sacred scriptures and deities. Communal provocation aimed at disturbing social harmony. Graphic misinformation and morphed images intended to ridicule and provoke religious sentiments. The content includes abusive terms like rapist culture, urine drinkers, and derogatory remarks on Hindu festivals, deities, and temples (e.g., Kamakhya Devi Temple). These posts appear to be a clear and deliberate attempt to promote enmity between religious groups, which is a punishable offense under 194,195,356 BNS and 66,67,69 of IT Act. request to lodge an FIR against above named person. I am ready to provide any further information or cooperate in the investigation process as required.”

A second complaint has also been filed by Advocate Amita Sachdeva, who approached the Cyber Crime Cell of Saket Police in Delhi with similar concerns, demanding strict action against Wazahat.

Kolkata Police Arrested Influencer Sharmishta, While Complaints Mount Against Her Accuser Wazahat Khan

In the deepening saga surrounding the arrest of young law student and influencer Sharmishta Panoli, the focus has now shifted towards the man whose complaint triggered her incarceration—Wazahat Khan Qadri Rashidi, Co-Founder of Rashidi Foundation, based in Kolkata. As the days pass, multiple legal complaints and public outrage are now pursuing Khan for his own history of hate-filled content aimed at Hindus.

In her complaint, Advocate Amita Sachdeva explicitly stated:
“The complaint has been filed against Wazahat Khan Qadri Rashidi, Co-Founder of Rashidi Foundation, Kolkata, for posting offensive, derogatory, and inflammatory content on social media platform X, targeting Hindu Religion, Deities, Festivals, and Culture. These posts have caused significant hurt to the religious sentiments of the Hindu community, including myself, and have the potential to incite communal disharmony.”

According to reports, Wazahat Khan has already begun removing several of his old posts in which he had used derogatory language against Hindu Gods, sacred festivals, and spiritual traditions. But this behavior stands in glaring contrast to the way Sharmishta Panoli was treated. She had also deleted her allegedly offensive video and even issued a public apology. Despite this, Kolkata Police arrested her and produced her before Alipore Court, which sent her to judicial custody for 14 days.

Meanwhile, Khan—who incited the legal process—is now absconding. Speculations are circulating that he might have fled to Bangladesh, evading the consequences of his own actions. When asked about his son, Saadat Khan, Wazahat’s father, gave an almost laughable justification: “Wazahat is Secular.”

In a fiery statement, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared that Assam Police will go to Kolkata to catch Wazahat Khan, saying:
“Police will request the Bengal Govt to hand him over. Let's see how much the Mamata Govt co-operates.”
Sarma didn’t hide his disdain, noting that Khan had abused Ma Kamakhya, a revered Goddess in Assam. He added bluntly, “Now the Police will haunt him. Poetic Justice.”

The court’s attitude has also raised concerns. Judge Partha Sarathi Chatterjee, during the proceedings, remarked:
“Nothing will happen if Sharmista stays in Custody for 2 days, she should have thought of consequences before making the video.”
This comment, now widely criticised, highlights the selective indifference shown toward the threats she faced and the apology she had issued.

Dates and content from Wazahat Khan’s deleted posts paint a clear picture of premeditated religious provocation:

• 13 December 2023 – A derogatory post against a Devi Temple

• 22 March 2024 – A post targeting Hinduism as a religion

• 7 June 2024 – A vulgar statement mocking Lord Krishna

And yet, this is the man who filed a complaint against Sharmishta for hurting religious sentiments. What’s more disturbing is that he never apologised nor showed remorse until his content became public and viral. He then locked his account and began deleting his posts, hoping to erase the digital trail of hate he had carefully curated over time.

On the other hand, Sharmishta Panoli, in her viral video, was responding to Pakistani trolls during Operation Sindoor, a counter-terror mission. Her remarks, though provocative to some, were clearly directed at those trying to whitewash terrorism. As reported, she had already taken down the video and apologised multiple times. Yet, she remains jailed, while Khan is free and elusive.

Now, the hunter has become the hunted. Wazahat Khan is under heavy scrutiny, with multiple complaints filed against him. His father told Aaj Tak that they are getting threat calls, and Khan has been missing from his Kolkata residence since Sunday.
“My son is innocent and secular. He cannot insult Hinduism. We have been receiving threats since Sharmistha’s arrest,” Saadat Khan told Aaj Tak. He also claimed that his son was mentally disturbed by the volume of online abuse and alleged that his social media account may have been hacked—a common excuse used when caught red-handed.

Yet, the reality remains unchanged: while Sharmishta is behind bars for a now-deleted video, Wazahat Khan had been consistently uploading anti-Hindu content for months. He only reacted when the public turned against him.

The controversy first erupted on 14th May, when a Pakistani Muslim handle tried to whitewash the massacre of 24 Hindus in Pahalgam. Terrorists had reportedly checked religious identity before executing them. A furious Sharmishta mocked the Pakistani Muslim handle, questioned their false narratives, and pointed at India’s right to defend against Pakistan-sponsored terror attacks. She asked if Indian soldiers should just stay quiet while their citizens are killed.

Her emotional reaction was then twisted and misrepresented by both Pakistani and Indian Muslims, who claimed that she had insulted Islam and Prophet Muhammad.

The video was removed. An apology was made. Yet, justice still eludes her, while the real offender remains in hiding.