Jaanmoni Das arrested over alleged remarks against PM Modi

Transgender makeup artist and social media influencer Jaanmoni Das was arrested by the Kozhikode Cyber Police on Thursday following allegations of making derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his family. The case was initiated based on a complaint by BJP Mahila Morcha state president Navya Haridas.

Das has since been released on station bail, as the charges—which include criminal defamation and provocation for causing a riot under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita—are bailable.

In a video apology, Das stated that her comments were misunderstood due to her limited proficiency in the language and were not intended to cause harm or target the Prime Minister’s mother. She further claimed to have received numerous threatening calls and messages from various locations, including India, Saudi Arabia, and Abu Dhabi, following the circulation of the video.