The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report regarding the recent arrest and remand of Ashoka University faculty member Ali Khan Mahmudabad. .The NHRC has noted that the allegations in the news report seem to reveals violation of the teacher's human rights. "The Commission has noted that the report, which contains a gist of the allegations on the basis of which he has been arrested, discloses, prima facie, that the human rights and liberty of the said Professor have been violated. Therefore, it has deemed it to be a fit case for taking suo motu cognizance of the reported incident," the NHRC press release states. It has also issued notice to the Haryana Director General of Police and called for a detailed report on the matter..Mahmudabad was remanded to two days of police custody on May 18 after the Haryana Police arrested him from Delhi, following the registration of two separate cases. The first information reports (FIRs) were registered over his social media posts on Operation Sindoor, India's cross-border military response to Pakistan, following the Pahalgam terror attack..In a Facebook post, Mahmudabad wrote that with Operation Sindoor, India had sent a message to Pakistan that, "if you don’t deal with your terrorism problem then we will!"He also went on to criticise those who blindly advocate war, noting,"The loss of civilian life is tragic on both sides and is the main reason why war should be avoided. There are those who are mindlessly advocating for a war but they have never seen one let alone lived in or visited a conflict zone ..."He further urged right-wing supporters praising Colonel Sofiya Qureshi - who led the media briefing on Operation Sindoor - to also speak up for victims of mob lynching and arbitrary demolitions of properties.He remarked that the while the "optics" of having Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh lead the briefings was important, it should be reflected in real change on the ground, warning that otherwise, it amounts to mere hypocrisy..The first case against Mahmudabad was lodged based on a complaint by Yogesh Jatheri under Sections 196 (promoting hatred), 197 (imputations and assertions prejudicial to national integration), 152 (endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India) and 299 (culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).The FIR followed a complaint by Haryana Women’s Commission Chairperson Renu Bhatia and included charges under Sections 353 (public mischief), 79 (insult to modesty) and 152 of the BNS. The State Women's Commission had earlier termed Mahmudabad's social media comments as disparaging toward women officers in the Indian Armed Forces, adding that it also promoted communal disharmony.In a statement posted on X (Twitter), Mahmudabad said that the Commission had completely misread his comments and inverted their meaning.On Tuesday, Mahmudabad was produced before Judicial Magistrate Azad Singh. According to the sources present in the remand hearing, the police asked for custody of seven more days. However, the judge rejected the request and instead remanded him to judicial custody.Earlier today, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Mahmudabad but refused to stay the two FIRs. The top court also restrained him from making any further online posts or speeches on the issue.
