The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered release of Ali Khan Mahmudabad, the associate professor and head of the Political Science department at Ashoka University in Haryana, PTI reported.
He was arrested over a social media post on Operation Sindoor.
The bail is subject to to furnishing of bail bonds to the satisfaction of the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court, Sonipat, as per ANI.
As the probe continues, SC has directed Haryana DGP to constitute three-member SIT headed by IG rank officer to investigate the case against Mahmudabad, according to PTI. Furthermore, the apex court said that Mahmudabad shall not write any online article on the India-Pakistan escalation.
The Supreme Court said that even though everybody has the right to freedom of expression, statements by Mahmudabad are what is called dog whistling in law.
The court also questioned the Ashoka University professor over his choice of words; and said that they were used to humiliate, insult, put others in discomfort, as per PTI.
Ashoka University, after his bail, said in a statement, "We are relieved and heartened by prof Ali Khan Mahmudabad being granted interim bail by the Hon'ble Supreme Court. It has provided great comfort to his family and all of us at Ashoka University."
After his arrest on May 18, the Haryana State Commission for Women took suo motu cognizance of his remarks while accusing him of undermining the dignity of women in the armed forces and promoting communal disharmony. He was arrested after a complaint was filed by Yogesh Jatheri - general secretary of the BJP Yuva Morcha in Haryana
Why was he arrested?
In the social media post over which he was arrested, Mahmudabad wrote about the media briefings on Operation Sindoor by Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh, terming it as "optics" and "hypocrisy."
He further suggested that the "right-wing commentators" commending Colonel Qureishi should also advocate for the victims of mob lynchings and those whose homes are "arbitrarily" bulldozed.
"The optics of two women soldiers presenting their findings are important, but optics must translate to reality on the ground, otherwise it's just hypocrisy," an excerpt from his post read.
His arrest drew criticism from the Trinamool Congress and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, who said the move was "deplorable" and "utterly condemnable".
Who is Ali Khan Mahmudabad?
Ali Khan Mahmudabad is an Associate professor and the Head of the Department of Political Science at Ashoka University in Sonipat in Haryana. Mahmudabad is the son of late Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan, also referred to as the Raja Saheb of Mahmudabad.
His father fought a 40-year battle to retrieve ancestral properties that were seized under the Enemy Properties Act. Mohammad Amir Ahmed Khan, his grandfather, was the last ruling king of Mahmudabad and a key contributor to the Muslim league before India바카라™s partition.
Ali was born on December 2, 1982 in Lucknow where he pursued his early education. He later attended King바카라™s College School in the UK before graduating from Winchester College in 2001. He pursued his MPhil and PhD in Historical studies and from the University of Cambridge before studying Arabic at the University of Damascus in Syria.
He had also entered politics for a brief period joining the Samajwadi Party in 2017. His spouse also hails from a family with political inclinations. She is the daughter of Haseeb Drabu, a former minister in Jammu and Kashmir.
