Ashoka prof Mahmudabad can return to social media, SC raps SIT on probe

The Supreme Court bench expressed concern over the Haryana Police SIT's investigation, observing that it had "misdirected itself" in handling the case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday relaxed Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad’s bail conditions, allowing him to resume writing online posts or articles, except on topics related to the subjudice case, reported PTI.

 

He was arrested by the Haryana Police on May 18 after two First Information Reports (FIRs) were filed in connection with his posts on the Indian Army’s ‘Operation Sindoor’. The top court granted him bail on May 21.

 

A SC bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, on Wednesday, said, “He is free to express any opinion except on the sub-judice case.”

 

The bench also raised concerns over the direction of the investigation being carried out by the Haryana Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT),  stating that it had “misdirected itself” in its handling of the case. It further directed the SIT it to restrict its inquiry to the two First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against Mahmudabad over his social media posts on Operation Sindoor.

 

 

“We are asking why SIT is, on the face of it, misdirecting itself. They were supposed to examine the contents of the posts,” Justice Kant said, as quoted by LiveLaw.

 

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Mahmudabad, told the court that the SIT seized his devices and also enquired about foreign trips for the last ten years, LiveLaw reported.

 

Court questions seizure of personal devices

 

The bench noted that there was no justification for seizing the professor’s electronic devices as part of the investigation. “We just want to know from SIT...for what purpose they have seized devices? We will call them (officers),” Justice Kant said. It also added that since Mahmudabad was cooperating with the investigation, “there was no need to summon him again.”

 

“You don’t require him (Mahmudabad), you require a dictionary,” Justice Kant observed. It further directed the SIT to examine whether an offence had been made out under the FIRs and submit a report within four weeks.

 

Mahmudabad’s social media posts: Background 

Mahmudabad was held for making alleged derogatory remarks toward the Indian Army and two women officers — Colonel Sofia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh — who appeared at media briefings on ‘Operation Sindoor’.

 

In his post, he described the appearance of two women officers at a press briefing as mere “optics” and “just hypocrisy”. The remarks drew strong backlash and were seen as disrespectful towards women in uniform. Shortly after, the Haryana Women’s Commission took suo motu cognisance, and a BJP Yuva Morcha leader filed a complaint against him.