Ashoka University Professor Spends Extra Night in Jail Despite Supreme Court Bail

The Supreme Court had granted interim bail to Professor Mahmudabad in connection with charges related to his social media posts about Operation Sindoor. However, the apex court's orders reached Sonepat late in the evening, preventing immediate release proceedings.

Professor Mahmudabad's lawyer, Kapil Dev Balyan, explained that local court proceedings for bail releases are typically time-consuming processes. He confirmed that the professor was in good health and receiving his medications on schedule, but expressed concern about Mahmudabad's wife, who is due for delivery and lacks adequate care support at home.

The timeline of events began with Professor Mahmudabad's arrest, after which police produced him before a local court that initially granted two-day police custody. On Tuesday, following completion of the police remand, the Rai police presented him to the court again, which subsequently ordered his judicial custody.

The professor, who heads the Political Science department at Ashoka University, was arrested over allegations that his social media commentary on Operation Sindoor endangered national sovereignty and integrity. Two separate FIRs were registered against him, leading to his detention.

Ashoka University issued an official statement expressing relief over the Supreme Court's decision. "We are relieved and heartened by Prof Ali Khan Mahmudabad being granted interim bail by the Hon'ble Supreme Court. It has provided great comfort to his family and all of us at Ashoka University," the institution stated.

The Supreme Court, while granting interim bail, had also directed the constitution of a three-member Special Investigation Team to probe the charges against Professor Mahmudabad. The court specified that the SIT should comprise senior officers not resident in Haryana, including a woman IPS officer, and be headed by a Director General of Police-rank officer.

As conditions of his interim bail, Professor Mahmudabad will be required to surrender his passport to the chief judicial magistrate in Sonepat and cooperate with the ongoing investigation. The case is scheduled for further hearing on May 27.