kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK : Wajahat Khan, the individual whose complaint led to the arrest of 22-year-old Instagram influencer and law student Sharmistha Panoli, has reportedly gone missing. Kolkata Police and authorities from two other states are actively searching for him following the registration of multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) against him. 

Khan had accused Panoli of sharing a video on social media that allegedly contained hate speech and hurt religious sentiments. Based on his complaint, Panoli was arrested by Kolkata Police on May 30 and is currently in judicial custody until June 13. 

Khan himself is now under investigation. He faces multiple complaints filed in West Bengal, Assam, and Delhi, accusing him of making derogatory remarks about Hindu deities and customs on social media. These complaints allege that Khan used offensive language that could incite communal discord. 

According to reports, Khan has been untraceable since Sunday, and his family claims to have received threatening calls following Panoli's arrest. His father, Saadat Khan, stated that Wajahat Khan is "innocent and secular" and suggested that his social media accounts may have been hacked. The family has not filed a missing person report, but authorities are concerned about his whereabouts. 

The situation has sparked a political controversy, with some accusing the authorities of selective enforcement and others defending the legal actions as necessary to maintain communal harmony. The case has drawn attention to issues of free speech, religious sentiments, and the responsibilities of individuals in the digital age 

Both Panoli and Khan remain at the center of a complex legal and political debate, with their actions and the subsequent responses raising important questions about the balance between expression and respect for religious beliefs.

Authorities are urging anyone with information about Wajahat Khan's whereabouts to come forward, as the investigation into both his and Panoli's cases unfolds.