SC Grants Interim Bail to Ashoka Professor Over ‘Operation Sindoor’ Post, Slams Him for ‘Cheap Publicity’
The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, who was arrested over a controversial social media post on Operation Sindoor. However, the court refused to stay the ongoing investigation, sharply criticising the professor’s timing and tone as an attempt at “cheap publicity”.
A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice NK Singh said the remarks made by the professor could amount to “dog-whistling”, and questioned the intent behind his post amid heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack.
While granting bail, the court ordered the Director General of Police (DGP), Haryana to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) within 24 hours. The SIT must include three senior IPS officers, none from Haryana or Delhi, and one must be a woman. The directive is aimed at ensuring a neutral and balanced probe into the case.
Mahmudabad has also been barred from making any public statements, speeches or social media posts relating to the case or the Pahalgam attack. The court directed that his passport be surrendered as a condition of his interim bail.
Mahmudabad was arrested on May 18 and subsequently sent to 14-day judicial custody by a local Haryana court. His social media post on Operation Sindoor was perceived by authorities as critical of the Indian military and disrespectful to women officers who had briefed the media—specifically Colonel Sofia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.
The post reportedly sparked significant backlash online, with critics accusing the professor of undermining national security and disrespecting the armed forces.
The Supreme Court did not hold back in its rebuke. “Some words have double meanings… this amounts to dog-whistling. He should have used neutral and respectful language,” said the bench during the hearing.
The court acknowledged the professor’s anti-war stance but questioned the timing and tone, suggesting the post was designed to stir controversy during a sensitive period.
Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives. The operation and the military briefings received wide public attention, particularly due to the visible leadership of women officers in the media interface.
