SC Relaxes Bail Conditions for Ashoka Prof, Orders SIT to Conclude Probe in 4 Weeks

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court citedexit conditions of bail of Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, saying that he can write about any article and opinion except on what is sub judice.

The court also ordered that Special Investigation Team (SIT) that is investigating the case should finish investigation within four weeks.

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Mahmudabad was arrested on May 18 by Haryana Police over his two-posts on Facebook regarding operation Sindoor and the apex court had granted him interim bail on May 21. The court also at that time instructed Haryana to establish an SIT to investigate the case.

Two complaints including one by a Haryana State Commission for Women led to the arrest of Mahmudabad.

Mahmudabad received condemnation by the Haryana State Commission for Women over his post in which he praised the restraint demonstrated by the military with a note of caution on warmongering and performative patriotism. Its chiefs Renu Bhatia complained that he belittled the women officers especially Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh who took part in briefing the press over the cross border strike. He was registered into an FIR after she complained.

The second one was reported under Rai police station on the complaint of local youth leader of BJP and sarpanch of Jatheri village, Yogesh.

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What turned out in the previous hearing?

The court had been firm in the last hearing of the case to ensure that the SIT limited their investigation against Mahmudabad only to the contents of the two FIRs registered against him on the basis of his Facebook posts about his Operation Sindoor.

It was following such suspecting by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who had appeared in the case on behalf of Mahmudabad, that the bench was informed by the senior lawyer that the SIT had sought submission of electronic devices by Mahmudabad.

The bench held that the SIT will not require the phone and other electronic gadgets of Mahmudabad because the two FIRs were on the record.

“What is the need for devices? Do not try to expand the scope of the investigation. SIT is free to form its opinion, but do not go left or right,” the court said.

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