A local court in Haryana sentenced Prof Ali Khan Mahmudabad, an Ashoka University professor to 14 days in judicial custody today, Tuesday, May 20.
Earlier, he was jailed over a social media post concerning Operation Sindoor that opponents claim is not inappropriate.
"The police sought an extension of his remand by seven days. During the arguments, we opposed the extension of the police remand... The court has sent him to judicial custody till May 27," Kapil Balyan, one of the lawyers representing Mahmudabad, told NDTV.
On Monday, May19, the Supreme Court accepted to examine Prof Mahmudabad's appeal contesting his arrest.
Senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, representing Prof Mahmudabad, told the court, "He has been arrested for a patriotic statement. Please list it."
The court will most likely hear the case tomorrow, Wednesday, May 21.
The two First Information Reports (FIRs) against the Ashoka professor were filed at the Rai Police Station in Sonipat, Haryana, one based on a complaint from Renu Bhatia, Chairman of the Haryana State Commission for Women, and the second on a complaint from a rural sarpanch.
Haryana Police arrested Prof Mahmudabad, the head of Ashoka University's Political Science department, from his Delhi home on Sunday, May 18. The claims against the professor include endangering India's sovereignty and fostering communal discord.
The Women's Commission has previously said that his words were derogatory to female officers in the Indian Armed Forces.
Responding to the arrest on Sunday, Ashoka University said in a statement, "We have been made aware that Prof Ali Khan Mahmudabad has been taken into police custody earlier today. We are in the process of ascertaining details of the case. The University will continue to cooperate with the Police and local authorities in the investigation fully."
The arrest has drawn criticism from opposition leaders.
