'Show one-time magnanimity': Supreme Court on case against professor for comments on Operation Sindoor

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the Haryana government may show a one-time magnanimity towards Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, facing criminal investigation for two contentious social media posts on Operation Sindoor, by withholding sanction for his criminal prosecution.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi made the suggestion as it was informed that the state government was yet to grant sanction after the filing of the chargesheet against the professor.

Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, for the Haryana government, contended that though charge sheet was filed in August 2025, no sanction has been given by the state government so far and the trial cannot proceed.

He sought time to have clear instructions as to whether the state government was inclined not to grant sanction as a one-time magnanimity and close the issue.

"The issue can be given a burial or closed as a one-time magnanimity, we are quite sure he will behave responsibly,” the bench said.

The bench said it was keeping the matter pending.

"The moment we say we are closing, he says that now I will start writing any damn thing, he should act in a responsible manner. If they show magnanimity then he should be equally responsible,” the bench said.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Mahmudabad, submitted there was nothing in the matter.

Fixing the matter after six weeks, the court extended its order restraining the trial court from taking cognisance of the charge sheet filed by Haryana SIT in the FIR against Ashoka University professor.