'Perverted Mind, Threat To Girls': Supreme Court Slams Assam Professor Booked Over Pakistan Supporting & Obscene Social Media Posts

While dealing with his bail plea, the Supreme Court yesterday expressed displeasure with an Assam professor named Md Joynal Abdein booked over a social media post in support of Pakistan as well as obscene posts against women, saying he has a "perverted mind" and is misusing the internet.A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi heard the matter. It was dealing with the man's challenge to a Gauhati High Court order which denied him bail in July in the case involving anti-national charge (Section 152 BNS).Allegedly, the man (petitioner) uploaded a post on Facebook stating "we are with the brother of Pakistani citizens". The post further stated "we will be with them in future also". It also supported the President of Turkey, who reportedly said that they will be with Pakistani citizens.After he was arrested in connection with the post, the petitioner approached the trial court for bail. However, he was not granted the relief on the ground that the case was at the stage of framing of charge. Aggrieved, he moved the High Court.Denying him bail, the High Court noted that the post was uploaded at a time when India's relationship with Pakistan was strained. It further observed from a plain reading of the post that the petitioner was in support of Pakistan, not his own country. As such, he had not complied with the Directive Principle of State Policy enshrined in Article 51A.Disposing of the plea, the High Court let the trial court proceed with framing of charges. If the charges got framed, it said that the petitioner's bail plea shall be considered after examination of atleast 2 prosecution witnesses. Against this order, the petitioner approached the Supreme Court.During yesterday's hearing, the petitioner's counsel informed the Court that the petitioner is a Professor in a government college. He has already been placed under suspension and spent 179 days in custody.On the other hand, the State counsel informed that there were 2 FIRs registered against the petitioner, one being a case under POCSO Act. It was contended that he made obscene posts against women/girls in the past, which might even be difficult to read in open Court.Hearing the State counsel, Justice Kant posed to the petitioner's counsel, "You (petitioner) are the one who has not spared children and even matured women. You are doing all kind of nasty things and then you make this kind of statement. You think you are above the law of the land?"The petitioner's counsel pleaded that the post was deleted as soon as the petitioner realized that it was against India's interest. "It's the only incident where I have been charged with anti-national activity", he said, while pointing out that the chargesheet has been filed and charges are yet to be framed. He also highlighted that the petitioner has been acquitted in one of the abovementioned 2 cases."You are in the habit of misusing the internet for various activities", said Justice Bagchi, going through an FIR accusing the petitioner of sexual harassment through his posts. Based on the allegations, Justice Kant added that the petitioner has a perverted mind.In response to the submission that the petitioner has been suspended, the judge further remarked that he should not even be allowed to enter the college where he taught, let alone teach. "You are such a threat to young girls! What kind of teacher-professor you claim? [You brought] shame to the word Professor", said Justice Kant.Subsequently, the petitioner's counsel contended that it was more of a case of "immaturity" on the petitioner's part. He further emphasized that the petitioner has 2 minor daughters and the case before the trial court is not progressing as there is no Presiding Officer since May.In this backdrop, the bench directed the State counsel to obtain instructions in 1 week. It also asked the High Court to explore desirability of posting a Presiding Officer in the concerned court."Ld. state counsel seeks and is granted 1 week's time to have instructions in this regard. In case there is no Presiding Officer, we request the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court to take up the matter on priority basis and explore the desirability of posting a Presiding Officer at the abovementioned court without any delay. Alternatively, case may be transferred to [...]."Case Title: MD JOYNAL ABEDIN Versus THE STATE OF ASSAM, SLP(Crl) No. 12160/2025Click Here To Read/Download Order

'Perverted Mind, Threat To Girls': Supreme Court Slams Assam Professor Booked Over Pakistan Supporting & Obscene Social Media Posts

Debby Jain

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