The Supreme Court on Monday stayed proceedings against Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, who faces two police cases for a controversial social media post on Operation Sindoor.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi also told Haryana Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) that it can’t frame charges against Mr Mahmudabad till the next hearing.
During the hearing, the Haryana Police also told the court that it had filed a closure report in one of the cases filed against Mr Mahmudabad.
Mr Mahmudabad was arrested on May 18 for a social media post on the government’s choice of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh for briefings on Operation Sindoor, which was launched to avenge the deadly April 22 Pahalgam attack.
The Supreme Court granted him bail three days later with conditions that he will not write any article or online post or deliver any speech related to the case, he won’t comment on the Pahalgam attack or Operation Sindoor, and he will surrender his passport.
The bench then relaxed the professor’s bail conditions and allowed him to write posts, articles and express any opinion except on the sub judice case.
On May 28, the court said there was no impediment to the professor’s right to speech and expression, but barred him from sharing anything online about the cases against him.
Mr Mahmudabad was charged under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 152 (acts endangering sovereignty or unity and integrity of India), 353 (statements conducing to public mischief), 79 (deliberate actions aimed at insulting the modesty of a woman) and 196 (1) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion).