SC grants interim bail to Prof Ali Khan Mahmudabad, criticizes remarks on Op Sindoor

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, who was arrested for his controversial social media post concerning Operation Sindoor. Although the court allowed his release, it firmly declined to halt the ongoing investigation into the matter.

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A bench consisting of Justices Surya Kant and NK Singh strongly criticized the professor's post, describing it as deliberately provocative and possibly aimed at gaining attention. The judges remarked that the timing and tone of his comments suggested an intention to incite controversy rather than contribute meaningfully to public discourse.

The bench ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to further examine the case. This team, which must include three senior IPS officers from outside Haryana and Delhi, should also include at least one female officer. The direction was issued to ensure a fair and balanced probe, considering the sensitive nature of the language used in the post.

The court laid down several conditions for Mahmudabad’s interim bail. He has been prohibited from making any statements about the case, or commenting on the Pahalgam terror attack and the rising tensions between India and Pakistan. Additionally, the court instructed him to hand over his passport.

Mahmudabad, who was arrested on May 18 and remanded to two weeks in judicial custody by a Haryana court, had allegedly made remarks on social media perceived as disrespectful to the armed forces and especially to female officers involved in briefing the media on Operation Sindoor.