Ashoka University Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad arrested over remarks on Operation Sindoor
sparks free speech debate
Sonipat/New Delhi: Ali Khan Mahmudabad, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Political Science at Ashoka University, has been arrested following remarks made on social media regarding media briefings related to Operation Sindoor. The arrest has ignited a fresh debate on academic freedom and political sensitivities in India.
The arrest was initiated based on a complaint filed by Yogesh Jatheri, General Secretary of the BJP Yuva Morcha in Haryana. According to sources, Mahmudabad was taken from his Delhi residence without a transit remand, prompting criticism from several academics and activists. Delhi University professor Apoorvanand stated, "Haryana police has illegally arrested Dr. Ali Khan. Taken to Haryana from Delhi without transit remand. FIR at 8 PM. Police reached his home the next morning at 7 AM!"
Mahmudabad's remarks, referring to the press briefings by Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofia Qureshi as "optics," sparked controversy. He had stated, “Optics must translate to reality on the ground, otherwise it’s just hypocrisy,” as reported by PTI.
In response, the Haryana State Commission for Women issued a notice to Mahmudabad, citing suo motu cognisance of public statements made around May 7. However, the professor did not appear before the Commission in Panchkula as required.
Reacting to the developments, Mahmudabad defended his remarks in a public statement on social media platform X. He said, “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 work has always upheld constitutional values. “My academic record, public writings, and policy work, including collaborations with senior bureaucrats, military officers, and politicians, attest to the fact that I have made it a priority to protect the unity and integrity of India,” he said.
Mahmudabad further asserted that his social media posts were aimed at promoting peace and harmony while appreciating the Indian armed forces for their resolve. “I exercised my fundamental right to freedom of thought and speech in order to promote peace and harmony, and to applaud the Indian armed forces for their resolute action,” he said.
Ashoka University issued a statement distancing itself from Mahmudabad’s personal views. “Comments made by a faculty member on his personal social media pages do not represent the opinion of the university. These statements have been made by him independently in his individual capacity,” the university said.
Reaffirming support for the armed forces, the university added, “Ashoka University and all members of the Ashoka community are proud of India's armed forces and support them unequivocally in their actions towards maintaining national security.”
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HC questions Delhi govt over failure to regulate sale of old vehicles, refers to Red Fort blast
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court questioned the city government on Wednesday over its failure to regulate the sale and transfer of used vehicles, while pointing out that in a recent bomb blast near the Red Fort, a second-hand car was used, making the issue more significant.
A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela asked the Delhi government to file a detailed response on the issue of regulating authorised dealers of registered vehicles.
"A car changes four hands but the original owner has not changed. Therefore, what happens? That man (the original owner) goes to the slaughterhouse? What is this? How are you permitting this? You will take a call when two-three more bomb blasts take place?" the bench asked the Delhi government's counsel.
The bomb blast near the iconic Mughal-era monument was carried out using a second-hand car, making the issue even more significant, it said.
The court listed the matter for further hearing in January 2026.
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The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) plea filed by an organisation, Towards Happy Earth Foundation, highlighting the challenges in the implementation of rules 55A to 55H of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, introduced in December 2022 to regulate authorised dealers of registered vehicles.
While the rules were intended to bring accountability to the second-hand vehicle market, the petitioner's counsel argued that they have failed in practice due to regulatory gaps and procedural hurdles.
The plea said there is a major gap in the amended framework, that is, the absence of any statutory mechanism for reporting dealer-to-dealer transfers.
"In reality, most used vehicles pass through multiple dealers before reaching the final buyer, but the rules recognise only the first transfer to the initial authorised dealer.
"As a result, the chain of custody breaks after the first step, defeating the very purpose of accountability," the petition said.
It added that because of these gaps, only a very small percentage of dealers across India have been able to obtain authorised dealer registration and in Delhi, not a single dealer has got it.
Consequently, lakhs of vehicles continue to circulate without any record of who is actually in possession of those, it said.
The plea said only a small fraction of India's estimated 30,000 to 40,000 used-vehicle dealers are registered under the authorised-dealer framework.
The petition also pointed out that the 11-year-old vehicle used in the November 10 bomb blast near the Red Fort was sold several times but was still registered in its original owner's name.
The blast near the Red Fort had claimed 15 lives.
