The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, ordered the release of Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad against his arrest over a social media post on Operation Sindoor.
The apex court granted interim bail to Mahmudabad subject to furnishing of bail bonds to the satisfaction of CJM, Sonipat. The bench also ordered that he shall not write any online article or make any online speech related to both posts which are subject matter of investigation.
"Although everyone has the right to freedom of expression", the Supreme Court said that "Mahmudabad’s statements amount to what is legally known as dog whistling". The bench questioned Mahmudabad’s choice of words, stating that they were used to humiliate, insult, and cause discomfort to others.
The top court also directed the Haryana DGP to form a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by an IG-rank officer, to probe the case against Mahmudabad.
Mahmudabad, an associate professor of political science at the Ashoka University, was arrested by the Haryana Police for his social media posts in connection with Operation Sindoor.
The controversy centres around a social media post made by Mahmudabad on May 8.
In the post, he had remarked on the use of women officers, Colonel Sofia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, at media briefings for the cross-border military operation.
The post sparked widespread criticism, including from the Haryana State Commission for Women, which took suo motu action and issued a notice on May 12. The commission accused Mahmudabad of making derogatory remarks about women in uniform and stirring communal tensions.
Renu Bhatiya, Chairperson of the Commission, stated that Mahmudabad had ignored their summons and did not attend a scheduled meeting at the university on May 15.
Following this, Mahmudabad, also a spokesperson for the Samajwadi Party, was arrested on Sunday.
The arrest came after a complaint was lodged by Yogesh Jatheri, general secretary of the BJP’s youth wing in Haryana.
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