Overview

• Ali Khan Mahmudabad, a political science professor at Ashoka University, was arrested on May 18 for social media comments criticizing Operation Sindoor briefings as 'optics.'
• The arrest followed complaints by the Haryana State Women’s Commission and a BJP-affiliated sarpanch, leading to FIRs under stringent Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections.
• The professor’s remarks, which he claims were misunderstood, have sparked widespread condemnation from opposition leaders, academics, and student groups advocating for his immediate release.
• Colleagues are maintaining a vigil at the Rai police station to ensure Mahmudabad’s access to food and medical care while he remains in custody.
• The Supreme Court is set to hear his plea on May 20, challenging the legality of his arrest and the interpretation of his comments under BNS provisions.