NHRC takes suo motu cognisance of Ashoka University professor's arrest, seeks report

New Delhi [India], May 21 (ANI): The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report regarding the arrest and custody remand of an Ashoka University professor in Haryana, citing potential violations of his human rights and liberty.
The NHRC issued a notice to the Director General of Police, Haryana, calling for a detailed report in the matter within one week.
"The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has come across a news report dated 20th May, 2025 regarding the arrest and remand to custody of a Professor of Ashoka University (a deemed to be University) in Haryana. 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. Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Director General of Police, Haryana, calling for a detailed report in the matter within one week," the NHRC statement said.
Earlier, the Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to Ali Khan Mahmudabad, associate professor and head of the Political Science Department at Ashoka University in Haryana, who was arrested over a social media post on Operation Sindoor.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh refused to stay the two FIRs registered by Haryana Police against him, saying he has not made out any case for a stay on investigation. However, the bench released him on interim bail.
"We direct the petitioner to be released on interim bail subject to furnishing of bail bonds to the satisfaction of the CJM Sonepat," ordered the bench while imposing certain conditions on his release.
The apex court restrained the associate professor from making any further online posts or speeches on the issue. No article or online posts are to be made, nor will any speech be delivered on the subject matter of the case .Further, he was retrained from making any comments on the terrorist attack on Indian soil or the counter-response given by India.
The bench also asked him to surrender his passport. It also ordered constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) within 24 hours to probe the matter. The top court directed that the SIT will be comprised of senior IPS officers, who do not belong to Haryana or Delhi and one officer of the SIT should be a woman. The SIT should be headed by an Inspector General rank officer and the other two members must be of SP rank. (ANI)