Sonipat Court denies Haryana Police’s plea to extend custody of Ali Khan Mahmudabad, remands him to 14 days judicial custody

A file image of Ali Khan Mahmudabad
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Haryana Police plea to extend the police custody of Ashoka University’s Associate Professor (Political Science) Ali Khan Mahmudabad was on Tuesday (May 20, 2025) turned down by the Sonipat Court, and he was remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.

One of Mr. Khan’s lawyers, Kapil Balyan, told The Hindu that the police had sought seven days of extended remand of his client on the ground that his passport was to be recovered, but the court turned down the plea and sent him to the judicial custody. Mr. Khan was produced in the court on completion of his two days police remand.

“We argued in the court that the photocopy of Mr. Khan’s passport was already submitted to the police and all his travel details could be procured from the Ministry of External Affairs,” said Mr. Balyan.

Mr. Khan was arrested after two separate First Information Reports were registered against him at Rai Police Station over his social media posts in connection with Operation Sindoor. The court had on Sunday (May 18, 2025) remanded him in two days police custody in one of the cases and sent him to judicial custody in the second case.

Separate FIRs were filed by Haryana State Women Commission Chairperson Renu Bhatia and Jathedi Sarpanch Yogesh Jathedi against him making similar allegations.