SC asks SIT to confine itself to probe related to professor's Facebook post

The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned the special investigation team (SIT), set up to examine Facebook posts of Ashoka University assistant professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad on Operation Sindoor, on "misdirecting itself".

A bench of justices Surya Kant and Joymala Bagchi verbally observed that SIT was "unnecessarily expanding the scope" of its probe.

The bench reiterated that the SIT must confine its investigation to the two first information reports already filed against Mahmudabad for his two "objectionable" Facebook posts. "Why is SIT on the face of it misdirecting itself? They can say that the article (by Mahmudabad) is an opinion and does not constitute an offence or otherwise!" Justice Kant verbally remarked.


SC also turned down a request made by the counsel for SIT for giving it two months to complete its probe. "SIT can always say that there is nothing in this FIR. But we are examining other issues. Why take two months for this? Then this case can be closed," the bench orally remarked.

The bench directed the SIT to not summon Mahmudabad again for questioning, after noting that he had already joined the investigation earlier and that certain electronic devices owned by him were also examined. The SC also ordered the SIT to finish its probe in four weeks, making it clear that its investigation must be strictly limited to the language and content of the two Facebook posts uploaded by Mahmudabad on the Pahalgam terror attack.

Interim protection from arrest that was granted to Mahmudabad will also continue, the SC added.