The Allahabad High Court on Monday, June 9, granted interim anticipatory bail to Dr Madri Kakoti, an assistant professor at Lucknow University widely known on social media as ‘Dr Medusa’. She was facing a sedition charge filed by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and university student Jatin Shukla.
The complaint accused Dr Kakoti of undermining India’s unity and sovereignty through her critical posts on the Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people on April 24. Known for her satirical and often hard-hitting commentary on government policies and social issues, Dr Kakoti had posted videos condemning the attack and alleged security failures, while also highlighting what she called retaliatory hate crimes against Indian Muslims.
In her posts, she pointed to incidents like lynchings, employment discrimination, housing denials, and house demolitions as “forms of terrorism”. Her statements drew sharp criticism from ABVP, which staged protests and demanded strict action. In response, Lucknow University issued her a show-cause notice, asking for a written explanation within five days.
Dr Kakoti maintained that she was merely speaking the truth.
She is not alone. Other political content creators who questioned the government’s response to the Pahalgam attack, including Shamita Yadav (aka ‘Ranting Gola’) and Uttar Pradesh folk singer Neha Rathore, are also facing FIRs. Recently, Instagram suspended Yadav’s profile citing multiple copyright violations.
