Haryana university professor arrested for his remarks on Operation Sindoor

Ashoka University’s associate professor, Ali Khan Mahmudabad, has been arrested following the registration of a case against him in connection with his social media remarks on Operation Sindoor.

Sources confirmed that Rai police registered the case based on a complaint filed by Yogesh Jatheri, a BJP Youth Morcha leader and the sarpanch of Jatheri village, on Saturday night. Later, the associate professor in the Political Science Department was taken into custody.

While local police officials declined to comment on the matter publicly, a senior police officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed both the registration of the case and the arrest.

Mahmudabad was arrested from Delhi.

Notably, Haryana State Commission for Women (HSCW) Chairperson Renu Bhatia took suo motu cognizance of Mahmudabad’s remarks, which were alleged to be disparaging toward women in the Indian Armed Forces and to promote communal disharmony.

The Commission summoned the professor to appear on May 14; however, he failed to do so.

The associate professor had later said that the Commission has “misread” his comment.

“…I am surprised that the Women’s Commission, while overreaching its jurisdiction, has misread and misunderstood my posts to such an extent that they have inverted their meaning,” Mahmudabad, had said on X.

On Thursday, chairperson Bhatia visited Ashoka University to inquire further into the issue.

Meanwhile, in a statement regarding the arrest of Mahmudabad, Ashoka University said, “We have been made aware that Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad has been taken into police custody earlier today. We are in the process of ascertaining details of the case.”

“The university will cooperate with the police and local authorities in the investigation fully,” the statement added.

Haryana Tribune