Supreme Court Grants Interim Bail to Ali Khan, Reprimands Him Over ‘Operation Sindoor’ Comment

The Supreme Court granted interim bail to Professor Ali Khan Mahmoodabad, Head of the Political Science Department at Ashoka University, who was arrested by the Haryana Police for a controversial Facebook post.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an associate professor at Ashoka University in Sonipat. While granting bail, the court also reprimanded the professor. Mahmudabad was arrested for allegedly insulting women officers in the Indian Armed Forces and making comments that promoted communal disharmony. The apex court termed the professor's social media posts as "dog whistling". However, the bench refused to stay the investigation and directed the Haryana DGP to constitute a three-member special investigation team.

Arrest Following Two FIRs

Mahmudabad was arrested on May 18 following the registration of two FIRs against him under stringent charges, including endangering sovereignty and integrity, for his social media posts on Operation Sindoor. He was produced before a local court in Sonipat on May 18 and remanded to two days of police custody in a case filed earlier on a complaint by the Haryana State Commission for Women (HSCW).

HSCW Issues Notice, Questions Comments

The Haryana State Commission for Women (HSCW) recently sent him a notice questioning his comments. Mahmudabad, however, stated that he was misunderstood and that it underscored his fundamental right to freedom of expression. Haryana Police stated that two FIRs were registered at Rai Police Station in Sonipat. One was based on a complaint by Renu Bhatia, Chairperson of the Haryana State Commission for Women, and the other by a village Sarpanch.