'You're a threat to young girls': Supreme Court to Assam professor arrested for anti-India, obscene online posts

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday came down heavily on a professor at a college in Assam arrested for making anti-India and obscene social media posts, and called him "a threat to young girls" and a "pervert" who should not be allowed to enter the educational institution.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, which refused to grant interim bail to Md Joynal Abedin, who was a professor at Gossaigaon College in Kokrajhar district, said that he has a habit of stalking and making obscene remarks to women online and cannot be released from jail easily.

"You are in the habit of harassing women on social media and making obscene remarks. You are a perverted man and a threat to young girls in college.

"What kind of professor are you? You are a shame to the word Professor. You should not be allowed to enter the college," the bench made scathing remarks against him.

Counsel for the petitioner said that he had apologised for the post for which he was arrested and as soon as he realised that his social media post was against the interest of the country, he had deleted it.

He submitted that the charge sheet has been filed in the case but the trial in the case could not proceed as there is no judicial officer in Gossaigaon court for around six months.

Counsel appearing for the Assam government submitted that the accused was a habitual offender and was in the habit of making several offensive posts on social media.

The bench, which perused his social media posts, was shocked to see the language of the content and said that he is of a "dirty mind" and a "threat to the society".

"Should we ask you to read out what has been written here, so that everyone understands what the post is?" the bench asked the counsel.

The counsel for the petitioner said the accused has apologised and has lost his job for the act he has committed.

"The court can impose any condition and he will abide by it. Please grant him bail as the chargesheet has been filed in the case," the counsel submitted.

The top court, while noting that Abedin was arrested on May 16, asked the counsel for the state to seek instructions on whether there is no judicial officer in the Gossaigaon court.

It requested the Gauhati High Court chief justice to look into the matter and depute a judicial officer at Gossaigaon court or transfer the case of Abedin to the sessions court in Kokrajhar district.

"We will look into the possibility of interim bail later," the bench told his counsel.

Abedin, who is a resident of Gosaigaon, had allegedly made anti-India posts in May for which he was initially detained and later arrested.