Ashoka University associate professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad has been remanded to judicial custody until May 27, 2025, following his arrest over a Facebook post concerning Operation Sindoor. The arrest has sparked widespread debate on academic freedom and freedom of expression in India.

Mahmudabad, head of the Political Science department at Ashoka University, was arrested on May 18 after two FIRs were filed against him. The complaints, lodged by the Haryana State Commission for Women and a BJP Yuva Morcha leader, alleged that his May 8 Facebook post disparaged women officers in the Indian Armed Forces and promoted communal disharmony. In the post, Mahmudabad commented on the optics of women officers leading media briefings on Operation Sindoor, suggesting that symbolic representation should translate into substantive change on the ground .

After a two-day police remand, a Sonipat district court denied the police’s request for an additional seven-day remand and instead placed Mahmudabad in 14-day judicial custody, setting the next hearing for May 27.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Mahmudabad’s plea challenging his arrest today, May 21. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Mahmudabad, argued that the professor is being targeted for expressing “patriotic statements” and emphasized the urgency of the matter .

The arrest has drawn significant criticism from academics, opposition leaders, and civil society. The Ashoka University Faculty Association condemned the arrest, describing the charges as “groundless and untenable,” and pledged support for Mahmudabad . Students and faculty have organized rotating vigils at the Rai police station in solidarity . Additionally, a group of academics has urged the Supreme Court to act against those who they allege have “framed” Mahmudabad, suggesting that he was targeted due to his religious identity .

Sources