Kozhikode, August 20, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Celebrity makeup artist Jaanmoni Das was arrested by Kozhikode City Cyber Police on Thursday following a complaint alleging that she made derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother Heeraben in connection with a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
Das was subsequently released on station bail as the offences registered against her are bailable.
The case was registered on a complaint filed by Kerala BJP Mahila Morcha president Navya Haridas. According to the FIR, Das allegedly made defamatory and insulting remarks against the Prime Minister with the intention of creating unrest and disturbing public peace.
The arrest triggered a controversy, with Das maintaining that her comments had been misunderstood. In a video posted on Instagram, she apologised for the controversy and offered an explanation of what she said.
Das said she made the remarks while responding to media queries after watching content related to the Delhi protest. She attributed the alleged misunderstanding partly to her limited proficiency in Malayalam, saying her intended meaning had been incorrectly interpreted.
“I did not say it with the intention of hurting anyone,” she said, adding that she had not been speaking about the Prime Minister’s mother.
Das said she understood the seriousness of the controversy only after friends informed her that the video had become a major issue. She claimed that she subsequently asked those who had uploaded the video to remove it.
She also alleged that she had received numerous threatening calls and messages after the video surfaced, including calls originating from Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and different parts of India.
“I don’t know what I should do. I have received many threatening calls,” she said, maintaining that she had only asked a question in connection with the content she had seen and was not making a statement against Modi.
The BJP Mahila Morcha, however, rejected her explanation and apology, maintaining that the alleged remarks against the Prime Minister and his mother could not be dismissed as a language-related misunderstanding.
Police are continuing their investigation into the allegations. The FIR states that the alleged remarks were made with the intention of insulting the Prime Minister and creating unrest and disturbance of public peace.
The case has since assumed a political dimension, with the BJP Mahila Morcha seeking action against Das, while the makeup artist maintains that her comments were neither intended to hurt anyone nor directed against the Prime Minister or his mother.
FOLLOW NOW
