Ashoka University Professor Arrested Over Social Media Post On Operation Sindoor

He faces charges under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita for allegedly inciting communal disharmony, secession, and insulting religious beliefs.

Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad was arrested following a BJP youth wing member's complaint about his social media post, "Operation Sindoor."

Source : X/@Mahmudabad

Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad has been arrested from Delhi over his social media post on 'Operation Sindoor', said the police on Sunday.

The associate professor has been arrested after a case was filed against him based on a complaint by a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s youth wing under the section of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita. 

The charges pertain to acts prejudicial to maintaining communal harmony, making assertions likely to cause disharmony, inciting secession, armed rebellion or subversive activities, and insulting religious beliefs, according to report by Scroll.

"Ali Khan Mahmudabad has been arrested from Delhi," Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Rai, Ajeet Singh told PTI. 

Yogesh Jatheri, general secretary of the BJP’s Yuva Morcha in Haryana filed the complaint on Saturday at the Rai police station in the Sonepat district. 

Haryana Women Panel's Notice

The development comes days after the Haryana State Commission for Women took suo motu cognisance of his comments. The commission sent a notice stating his remarks undermined women officers in the Indian armed forces and fomented communal discord.

Responding to the summons, Mahmudabad said that his social media posts on Operation Sindoor and the women officers involved were not misogynistic and that he was being censored.

"The screenshots attached to the notice make it clear that my remarks have been completely misunderstood and that the Commission has no jurisdiction whatsoever in the matter," he said in a post on X. 

"The Women's Commission is a body that serves an important function; however, the summons issued to me fail to highlight how my post is contrary to the rights of or laws for women," he added. 

What Did The Prof Say?

In his Facebook post, Mahmudabad described the initial media briefings by women officers-- Col Sofia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh on 'Operation Sindoor' as  “optics” and “just hypocrisy”.

Colonel Sofia Qureshi, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, and Foreign Secretary held the initial media briefings after Indian armed forces launced 'Operation Sindoor'. The counter-terror offensive was in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack where 26 civilians were killed. 

“I am very happy to see so many right-wing commentators applauding Colonel Sophia Qureishi but perhaps they could also equally loudly demand that the victims of mob lynchings, arbitrary bulldozing and others who are victims of the BJP’s hate mongering be protected as Indian citizens," the post read, which was attached with the notice sent by the commission.