NEW DELHI — The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended its order restraining a trial court from taking cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the Haryana Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the FIR against Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad. The professor was booked in connection with social media posts related to Operation Sindoor.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi passed the order after Additional Solicitor General SV Raju informed it that though chargesheet was filed in August 2025, no sanction has been given by the Haryana government so far, reported PTI.
The ASG sought more time to have clear instructions as to whether the state government is inclined not to grant sanction as a one time magnanimity and close the issue.
The top court allowed Raju to seek instructions and posted the matter after six weeks.
The apex court orally remarked that its expects that Mahmudabad will behave responsibly during this period.
“We also don’t want that as soon as they (state government) decides not to grant sanction, you go and write any damn thing you want. If they show magnanimity then you also have to be responsible,” it observed.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Mahmudabad, submitted there is nothing in the matter.
On July 16, the top court questioned Haryana SIT’s line of investigation in the case, saying “it misdirected itself”.
It asked the Haryana SIT headed by a senior police officer to only confine itself to the two FIRs against Mahmudabad over his “contentious” social media posts and see if there was an offence and submit its report in four weeks.
The top court had relaxed the professor’s bail condition imposed on May 21 and allowed him write posts, articles and express any opinion except on the sub judice case.
On May 28, the top court said there was no impediment on the professor’s right to speech and expression, but barred him from sharing anything online on the cases against him.
The top court had made it clear that the subject matter of investigation was two FIRs lodged against the professor and asked the Haryana police not to go “left and right” in the investigation and seek the “devices”, which the cops said they would like to examine.
On May 21, the top court granted him interim bail, but refused to stay the investigation against him.
The top court had also restrained the professor from expressing any opinion in relation to the terrorist attack on Indian soil or the counter-response given by the Indian armed forces.
It had directed a three-member SIT to look into the FIRs against him.
Haryana Police arrested Mahmudabad on May 18 after two FIRs were registered against him.
His contentious social media posts on Operation Sindoor, it is alleged, endangered the sovereignty and integrity of the country.
The two FIRs — one based on a complaint by the chairperson of Haryana State Commission for Women, Renu Bhatia, and the other on a complaint by a village sarpanch — were lodged by Rai police in Sonipat district.
He was booked under BNS sections 152 (acts endangering sovereignty or unity and integrity of India), 353 (statements conducing to public mischief), 79 (deliberate actions aimed at insulting the modesty of a woman) and 196 (1) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion).
Several political parties and academicians condemned the arrest.
