The Supreme Court on Monday stopped proceedings against Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, after Haryana Police registered FIRs against him over his social media posts on ‘Operation Sindoor’.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi quashed one FIR following the police’s submission of a closure report, and also barred the district magistrate from taking cognizance of another case filed against the professor.
During the hearing, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Mahmudabad, criticised the police’s actions. He said it was “unfortunate” that Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita — which deals with offences against the sovereignty of India — was invoked over mere social media comments.
Earlier, in a July hearing, the top court had pulled up Haryana’s Special Investigation Team (SIT), saying it was “misdirecting” itself by expanding the scope of the case. The bench had then ordered the SIT to complete its investigation within four weeks.
Mahmudabad, 42, teaches political science at Ashoka University in Sonipat. He was arrested on May 18, ten days after Operation Sindoor, following a complaint by Yogesh Jatheri, General Secretary of the BJP Yuva Morcha in Haryana. He was granted bail on May 21.
While granting interim relief, the Supreme Court had directed him not to write anything related to the social media posts in question or to express any opinion about the attack or India’s military response.
The court also instructed the Haryana DGP to form a Special Investigation Team of senior IPS officers to review the professor’s online posts and submit a report.
