Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad sent to 14-day judicial custody over post on Op Sindoor

Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad was on Tuesday sent to 14-day judicial custody over his controversial post on Operation Sindoor. 

A district court on Tuesday sent Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad to 14-day judicial custody over his post on Operation Sindoor. The next date of hearing in the case is May 27.

While the Haryana police asked for a seven-day remand, a Sonipat court sent Mahmudabad to judicial custody. The next date of his hearing in the case is May 27.

Mahmudabad was arrested on Sunday after two FIRs were filed against him. He had been granted two-day police custody based on a complaint by the Haryana state commission for women.

In the post, he said, "Strategically, India has actually begun a new phase in terms of collapsing distinction between military and terrorist (non-state actors) in Pakistan. In effect, the response to any terrorist activity will invite a conventional response and so this puts the onus on the Pakistani military to make sure that it cannot hide any longer behind terrorists and non-state actors. In any case, the Pak military has used militarised non-state actors to destabilise the region for far too long while also claiming to be victims on the international stage.It has also used the same actors - some of whom were targeted in the recent strikes - to foment sectarian tension in Pakistan. Operation Sindoor resets all received notions of Indo-Pak relationships as the response to terrorist attacks will be met with a military response and removes any semantic distinction between the two.

Despite this collapse, care has been taken by the Indian armed forces to not target military or civilian installations..."

He clarified that his remarks were misinterpreted. He explained that his intention was to criticize war-mongering narratives and draw attention to civilian suffering during conflicts, while stressing the importance of safeguarding all Indian citizens, including minorities. He also expressed support for the Indian military’s restrained approach and condemned Pakistan’s use of terrorism.

The complaint, filed by Haryana State Women’s Commission chairperson Renu Bhatia, stemmed from the professor’s May 9 social media post on Operation Sindoor. The controversy deepened after Mahmudabad did not appear before the commission despite a summons on May 14.

Calculated harassment: Ashoka faculty slams professor's arrest

The Ashoka University faculty association termed the move “calculated harassment” and condemned it in unequivocal terms. Numerous voices across educational and intellectual circles have echoed the sentiment, pointing out that Mahmudabad’s post, far from being incendiary, had lauded the Indian Army, criticized war rhetoric, and supported the government’s stance against Pakistan.