Haryana, May 18: Ali Khan Mahmudabad, associate professor and head of the Political Science Department at Ashoka University, was arrested on Sunday for alleged inflammatory social media remarks regarding Operation Sindoor, the Indian military offensive targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

The 42-year-old academic was taken into custody following a complaint filed by Yogesh Jatheri, general secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha in Haryana. Mahmudabad faces multiple charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including inciting rebellion, promoting communal disharmony, and insulting religious sentiments. Haryana Police confirmed the arrest but declined to release further details. Meanwhile, Ashoka University issued a statement saying it is “in the process of ascertaining details” and assured full cooperation with the police. Ali Khan Mahmudabad Arested: Ashoka University Associate Professor Held for His Social Media Post on Operation Sindoor.

Who Is Ali Khan Mahmudabad?

A well-known academic, writer, and poet, Mahmudabad hails from an illustrious political and royal lineage. He is the son of the late Raja Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan of Mahmudabad, who famously fought a protracted legal battle over properties seized under the Enemy Properties Act. His grandfather, Mohammad Amir Ahmad Khan, was the last ruling Raja of Mahmudabad and a key figure in the pre-Partition Muslim League.

Educated at La Martiniere College in Lucknow, he later studied at King’s College School and Winchester College in the UK, earning his MPhil and PhD in Historical Studies from the University of Cambridge. He also studied Arabic at the University of Damascus. His academic work, particularly on the Middle East, has been published in outlets including National Geographic. In 2017, Mahmudabad briefly entered politics, joining the Samajwadi Party. He is married to the daughter of Haseeb Drabu, a former finance minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Sehore: Madhya Pradesh Government Teacher Dismissed for Praying for Pakistani Soldiers During ‘Operation Sindoor’.

Why Ali Khan Mahmudabad Was Arrested?

The arrest comes after a social media post Mahmudabad made on May 8, a day after India conducted precision airstrikes on nine terror camps in retaliation for the killing of 26 civilians in Pahalgam. In the now-controversial post, Mahmudabad questioned the portrayal of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, a Muslim woman officer who briefed the media post-strikes, calling out what he described as the “irony” in Hindutva circles celebrating her role.

His remarks were widely criticised, with the Haryana State Commission for Women taking suo motu cognisance. The Commission accused him of insulting the dignity of women in the armed forces and fueling communal tensions. A formal summons had been issued days before his arrest.

In a brief response prior to his arrest, Mahmudabad said his comments were “misunderstood” and claimed the action taken against him was “part of a new form of censorship and harassment.” He has yet to release a full public statement since being taken into custody.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 18, 2025 04:41 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).