On Monday (8th December), the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Mohammed Joynal Abedin, a professor at the Gossaigaon College in Kokrajhar district of Assam in a case wherein he is accused of posting anti-India during Operation Sindoor and obscene content on social media.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Jomalya Bagchi, noted that Joynal Abedin has been in custody for six months and the trial has not begun. The court said that the trial will take time to conclude.
The court also noted that accused Mohammed Joynal Abedin is named in two other cases wherein he is allegedly molested girls at his workplace. Justices Kant and Bagchi took into consideration these factors and decided to grant him bail.
“”He is also purportedly named in two other cases where he alleged to have molested girl students at the workplace. Prosecution [is] to examine 4 witnesses. Trial conclusion will take some time. Petitioner is in custody since 6 months. Taking into consideration all such factors, let him be released on bail, subject to furnishing bail bonds. Let him be present in court for every hearing. This order shall not be construed as a ground for reinstatement of the petitioner and it is highly advisable that he is not, since there are allegations of acts against girl students,” the Court stated.
Notably, in May this year, when the Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor to kill Jihadis and dismantle terror establishments inside Pakistan, Joynal Abedin had allegedly published a Facebook post saying that “we are with the brother of Pakistani citizens” and that “we will be with them in future also.”
While the Supreme Court has granted the accused bail, the Guwahati High Court had earlier said that Joynal is supporter of Pakistan and he violated his fundamental duties. The accused then moved his bail plea in the Supreme Court.
In November, the Supreme Court called Mohammed Joynal Abedin a “threat” to female students, noting that he made obscene remarks about women online and also allegedly molested women at his workplace.
However, on Monday, the apex court granted bail to Abedin merely on the grounds that the trial will take time to conclude, although his college suspension remains in effect.
“”Let him be granted bail since trial will take time. But let college suspension remain. since he was alleged to have committed obscene acts,” CJI Kant said.