On Wednesday, the Supreme Court relaxed the bail conditions for Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, allowing him to write articles and express opinions, provided they do not pertain to matters currently under judicial consideration.
The court also directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted to investigate the case, to complete its probe within four weeks.
Earlier, on May 21, the apex court had granted interim bail to Mahmudabad, who had been arrested by the Haryana Police on May 18 in connection with two Facebook posts related to Operation Sindoor. At that time, the Court also ordered the formation of an SIT to carry out the investigation.
The arrest followed two separate complaints, one of which was filed by the Haryana State Commission for Women. The controversy arose from Mahmudabad’s social media post, in which he praised the Indian military’s restraint while cautioning against “warmongering and performative patriotism.” The post drew sharp criticism from the Commission, whose chairperson, Renu Bhatia, alleged that the professor had insulted women officers—specifically naming Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh—who had addressed the media following the cross-border operation. Her complaint led to the filing of a First Information Report (FIR).
A second FIR was registered at the Rai police station, based on a complaint filed by Yogesh, a local BJP youth leader and sarpanch of Jatheri village.
