- By Nidhi Giri
- Wed, 28 May 2025 01:37 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Supreme Court on Wednesday extended the interim bail to Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad. Earlier this month, he was arrested for contentious social media posts on Operation Sindoor. The apex court stated that there would be no impediment on his right to speech and expression. The top court, however, asked the professor not to post anything related to the case or India's military actions against Pakistan.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Dipankar Datta also restricted the scope of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the case lodged against professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad and said the probe should be limited to the two FIRs.
"We direct that the investigation of SIT shall be confined to the contents of the two FIRs, subject matter of these proceedings. The investigation report, before it is filed in a jurisdictional court, must be produced before this court. The interim protection to continue till further orders," the Supreme Court stated in the order.
What Is The Case Against ProfAli Khan Mahmudabad?
Mahmudabad was arrested days after the Haryana State Commission for Women sent a notice to him over his remarks, though he had said that they were "misunderstood" and asserted he exercised his fundamental right to freedom of speech.
In its May 12 notice, the Haryana State Commission for Women cited concerns over Mahmudabad's comments allegedly disparaging women in uniform, particularly Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who briefed the media on Operation Sindoor alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
He had described the briefings as "optics."
In another comment, he had said rightwing people applauding Colonel Qureshi should demand protection for victims of mob lynchings and "arbitrary" bulldozing of properties.