Ashoka Professor Arrested: Court Sends Ali Khan Mahmudabad to 14-Day Custody

Ashoka University Professor Arrested Over Social Media Remarks

Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an associate professor of political science at Ashoka University, has been sent to 14-day judicial custody by a district court in Sonepat, Haryana. His arrest sparked controversy and drew strong reactions from the university faculty.

What Happened?

Mahmudabad was taken into custody by Delhi Police on Sunday following allegations of making controversial remarks about Operation Sindoor, India’s military strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and PoK, on social media. He was later handed over to Sonipat police.

Two FIRs have been registered against him, and after appearing in court, he was remanded to judicial custody. One of his lawyers, Kapil Balyan, stated that the police had sought a seven-day extension of his police remand, but the court denied the request.

Controversy Surrounding the Arrest

The Ashoka University Faculty Association issued a statement condemning Mahmudabad’s arrest, calling the charges “groundless and untenable.” They expressed their support for him, highlighting his contributions to the university community and his commitment to his students.

The arrest followed a complaint filed by a BJP Yuva Morcha leader and came after the Haryana State Commission for Women took suo motu cognisance of Mahmudabad’s remarks about Army Colonel Sofia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who had held initial media briefings on Operation Sindoor.

Mahmudabad’s statements, described by the commission as “demeaning” to women officers in the armed forces, also reportedly stirred communal tension.

Supreme Court Intervention

On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to urgently hear a petition filed by Mahmudabad challenging his arrest over the social media posts. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Mahmudabad, brought the matter before a Supreme Court bench, which is expected to hear the case within the next two days.