Ashoka University Students and Faculty Rally in Support of Associate Professor Ali Khan
#News Bureau May 20,2025
Ashoka University students have condemned the arrest of Professor Ali Khan Mahmoodabad over his social media posts, calling it a direct assault on academic freedom and secular values. A local court has remanded Professor Khan to 14 days of judicial custody.
The case of wrongful arrest of Ashoka University Assistant Professor and Head of Political Science Department Ali Khan Mahmoodabad by Haryana Police is gaining momentum. Professor Mahmoodabad was arrested from his Delhi residence on 18 May 2025, the reason for which is said to be a social media post related to Operation Sindoor. Ashoka University students have strongly protested against this arrest, calling it not only a violation of academic freedom but also against the principles that the professor taught in his lectures. Meanwhile, Ashoka University Professor Ali Khan Mahmoodabad has been sent to judicial custody for 14 days by the District Court of Sonipat. The court has fixed the next hearing of the case on 27 May. However, his case was to be heard in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, which could not be done till the time of writing this report.
Professor Mahmoodabad is accused of commenting in a Facebook post calling the media briefing of Operation Sindoor “mere sham”. However, it is absolutely clear that the professor did not write anything objectionable. Rather, it boosted the morale of the army. Based on complaints filed by Haryana State Women Commission Chairperson Renu Bhatia and BJP Yuva Morcha General Secretary Yogesh Jatheri, a case was registered against him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (BNS), which include serious charges like endangering the sovereignty of the country and spreading animosity between religious communities.
Students of Ashoka University, especially those of his “Banish the Poets” course, issued a statement calling the professor’s arrest “wrong” and an “attack on academic freedom”. They said, “Professor Khan always emphasized secular values like love, logic, compassion, justice and free thinking to us. His arrest is not only a violation of academic freedom but also against the values he stands for.” The students also pointed out that the professor never showed disrespect for the nation or the Constitution and always encouraged meaningful dialogue.
The arrest of Ashoka University Assistant Professor and Head of the Political Science Department, Dr. Ali Khan Mahmoodabad, by the Haryana Police is rapidly gaining attention and sparking widespread concern. Professor Mahmoodabad was detained from his residence in Delhi on May 18, 2025, reportedly in connection with a social media post commenting on Operation Sindoor. Students and faculty at Ashoka University have strongly condemned the arrest, describing it as a grave violation of academic freedom and a betrayal of the very principles the professor advocated in his teachings.
Following his arrest, a district court in Sonipat sent Professor Mahmoodabad to 14 days of judicial custody. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for May 27. While the matter was also slated for hearing in the Supreme Court, it had not been taken up at the time of this report.
The charges against Professor Mahmoodabad stem from a Facebook post in which he allegedly described the media briefing on Operation Sindoor as a “mere sham.” However, those familiar with the post argue that it contained no objectionable content and, in fact, expressed support for the armed forces. The FIR was registered based on complaints filed by Haryana State Women Commission Chairperson Renu Bhatia and BJP Yuva Morcha General Secretary Yogesh Jatheri. He now faces multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code (BNS), including allegations of threatening national sovereignty and inciting communal tension.
Students from Ashoka University, particularly those enrolled in his popular course “Banish the Poets,” released a joint statement denouncing the arrest. They called it an unjust act and a direct attack on the core of academic freedom. “Professor Khan consistently taught us values rooted in secularism—love, logic, compassion, justice, and independent thought,” the statement read. “His arrest not only violates the freedom of the classroom but also contradicts the very values he has always stood for.”
The students also emphasized that Professor Mahmoodabad has never disrespected the nation or its Constitution and has always encouraged thoughtful, respectful discourse. The case continues to raise serious concerns about academic independence, freedom of expression, and the boundaries of lawful dissent in India.
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