Chandigarh, March 16 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Monday brought an end to the criminal proceedings against Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad of Ashoka University in connection with a controversial social media post related to ‘Operation Sindur’.
The decision came after the Haryana government informed the apex court that it had declined to grant a sanction for the professor’s prosecution.
Taking the state government’s stand on record, the bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Jomalya Bagchi quashed the case, while expressing the hope that the academic would exercise greater caution and responsibility in his future communications.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the Haryana government, stated that the decision to deny prosecution sanction was intended to conclude the matter. He suggested that the professor be cautioned against making such contentious remarks in the future to avoid further disputes.
The court echoed this sentiment, noting that while freedom of expression exists, individuals in influential academic positions are expected to conduct themselves with heightened prudence, especially regarding sensitive national and communal issues.
The legal battle stemmed from a social media post made by Prof Mahmudabad concerning ‘Operation Sindur’ and the status of minorities in India, which coincided with a press briefing by Army officer Sophia Qureshi.
The post led to the registration of an FIR under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), with allegations including disturbing communal harmony and spreading social enmity. The professor had previously spent three days in custody before the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in May last year.
Senior advocates Siddharth Luthra and Nizam Pasha, appearing for the professor, expressed their gratitude to both the court and the state government following the resolution of the case.
Chief Justice Surya Kant remarked that “reading between the lines” can often trigger unnecessary controversy and advised that sensitive circumstances require extreme carefulness in public discourse. With the state government officially withdrawing its intent to prosecute, the court ruled that there was no further legal ground to continue the proceedings.
