29 August, Monday: The Supreme Court on Monday restrained a trial court from taking cognisance of the chargesheet filed against Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, the Supreme Court said on Monday, hearing a plea filed by the professor against the FIRs filed over his posts on Operation Sindoor.
The Haryana Police informed the Supreme Court that it has filed a closure report in one FIR against Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, professor of political science at the Ashoka University, and has filed a chargesheet in another FIR against him over his social media posts on 'Operation Sindoor'. Taking note of this development, the bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi quashed the FIR in which the closure report was filed; regarding the other FIR, the Court passed an interim order barring the Magistrate from taking cognizance of it.
Who is Ali Khan Mahmudabad?
Mahmudabad was earlier granted interim bail, and a special investigation team was asked to file a report in his case. Ali Khan Mahmudabad is an associate professor and head of the Political Science department at Ashoka University, Haryana. He was caught in between in a controversy back in May over a “contentious” post he made on Operation Sindoor. Two FIRs were registered against Mahmudabad, and he was in police custody for some days. He was arrested on May 18. However, he was granted an interim bail on May 21, and he was released on May 22.
He was charged with BNS sections 152 (acts endangering sovereignty or unity and integrity of India), section 353 (statements conducing to public mischief), section 79 (deliberate actions aimed at insulting the modesty of a woman), and section 196 (1) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion). As per the conditions of interim bail, the Court restrained Mahmudabad from writing any posts/articles in relation to the social media posts which were the subject matter of the case or from expressing any opinion in relation to the terrorist attack on Indian soil or the counter-response given by India. The Court also directed him to join and fully cooperate with the investigation. He was further directed to surrender his passport.
Noting the fact that Mahmudabad had cooperated with the investigation and surrendered all his devices, the Court directed that he should not be summoned again. "You don't require him (Mahmudabad), you require a dictionary," Justice Kant said. The bench further directed the SIT to conclude its investigation within four weeks.
