Indian Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad Arrested, Granted Interim Bail Amid Sedition Probe

Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an associate professor and head of the political science department at Ashoka University, was arrested by the Haryana police over social media posts criticizing India's military actions and highlighting victims of mob lynchings and hate mongering by the ruling BJP. He was charged with sedition, endangering national sovereignty, and other offenses, sparking widespread criticism from academics, human rights groups, and civil society who denounce the arrest as a violation of freedom of expression and an act of censorship. India's Supreme Court granted him interim bail but barred him from making related online posts, while the investigation continues under a special team. Supporters, including the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and Amnesty International India, emphasize that his remarks do not amount to sedition and call the government's selective enforcement of laws discriminatory and suppressive. The case highlights concerns over misuse of laws like the new sedition provisions in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which critics argue is used to silence dissent and create a climate of fear. The arrest has ignited a debate on democratic values, freedom of speech, and the rule of law in India amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions.