Sonipat, Haryana, May 18 — Associate Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad of Ashoka University has been arrested in connection with his social media remarks on Operation Sindoor, officials confirmed on Sunday. The arrest was made based on a complaint filed by a leader from the BJP Yuva Morcha.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Rai), Ajeet Singh, confirmed that the political science professor was taken into custody from Delhi. "Ali Khan Mahmudabad has been arrested from Delhi," Singh said, adding that the arrest is linked to comments made on Operation Sindoor.
Ashoka University Responds
In an official statement, Ashoka University acknowledged the incident, stating, “We have been made aware that Prof Ali Khan Mahmudabad has been taken into police custody earlier today. We are in the process of ascertaining details of the case.” The university further stated its willingness to cooperate fully with the authorities during the investigation.Haryana Women’s Commission Had Issued a Prior Notice
The arrest follows a notice issued by the Haryana State Commission for Women on May 12, which took suo motu cognisance of remarks made by Mahmudabad around May 7. The notice accused him of making statements perceived as disparaging to women officers in uniform, particularly Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh.Chairperson Renu Bhatia had expressed disappointment over the professor's comments. “We salute the country’s daughters — Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. But the kind of words the professor who teaches political science has used for them... I expected that he would at least present himself before the commission today and express regret,” she said.
The Commission cited his comments on social media, where he criticised media briefings by Col Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh as "optics", adding, "Optics must translate to reality on the ground, otherwise it's just hypocrisy." The panel interpreted these statements as undermining the professional role of women in the armed forces.
Professor Defends His Remarks
In response to the backlash, Mahmudabad maintained that his comments were misinterpreted. He stated on the social media platform X, “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.”He added that his remarks were aimed at promoting peace and harmony, praising the Indian armed forces' efforts while condemning elements that propagate hate.
Context: Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor was launched by Indian armed forces in the early hours of May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strikes came in retaliation to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh had briefed the media alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri about the operation.The case has sparked debate over the limits of free speech and academic expression, with legal proceedings now underway.