The Haryana government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that it has decided not to grant sanction to prosecute Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad over his social media posts on Operation Sindoor, saying it was showing “one-time magnanimity” in the matter.

Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the Haryana government, told a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi that the state had decided against prosecuting Mahmudabad.

"Showing one-time magnanimity, we have closed the issue and have refused to grant sanction," Raju told the bench.

Taking note of the submission, the bench said that since the state had not granted sanction to prosecute Mahmudabad, the proceedings pending before the concerned trial court would stand closed.

On January 6, the apex court had extended its order restraining the trial court from taking cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the Haryana SIT in the FIR against Mahmudabad.

The top court had passed the order after Raju informed it that although a chargesheet was filed in August 2025, the Haryana government had not granted sanction for prosecution.

Mahmudabad was arrested by Haryana Police on May 18 after two FIRs were registered against him over his social media posts on Operation Sindoor, which allegedly endangered the sovereignty and integrity of the country.

The FIRs — one based on a complaint by Haryana State Commission for Women chairperson Renu Bhatia and another by a village sarpanch — were lodged by Rai police in Sonipat district.

He was booked under BNS sections 152 (acts endangering sovereignty or unity and integrity of India), 353 (statements conducing to public mischief), 79 (deliberate actions aimed at insulting the modesty of a woman) and 196 (1) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion).

Mahmudabad’s arrest had drawn criticism from several political parties and academicians.