The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to grant interim bail to Md Joynal Abedin, a professor from Gossaigaon College in Assam’s Kokrajhar district, who was arrested for posting anti-India and obscene content on social media.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi came down sharply on the professor, calling him a “pervert” and “a threat to young girls,” while observing that his conduct was unbecoming of an educator.
“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 remarked.
The bench, after going through Abedin’s social media content, said it was “shocked to see the language” used and described him as having a “dirty mind” and being “a threat to society.” When Abedin’s counsel requested bail, the court asked pointedly whether he would like to read out the posts publicly “so that everyone understands what was written.”
Counsel for Abedin told the court that his client had already apologised and deleted the post after realising it was against the national interest. He also said Abedin had lost his job and was willing to comply with any conditions the court imposed for bail.
It was further submitted that although the chargesheet in the case has been filed, the trial has been delayed for nearly six months due to the absence of a judicial officer at the Gossaigaon court.
The Assam government’s counsel opposed the plea, stating that Abedin was a habitual offender known for making offensive social media posts.
Taking note of the vacancy in the Gossaigaon court, the bench requested the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court to look into the issue and either depute a judicial officer there or transfer Abedin’s case to the sessions court in Kokrajhar district.
“We will look into the possibility of interim bail later,” the bench said, keeping the matter pending.
Abedin, a resident of Gossaigaon, was arrested on May 16 after allegedly making anti-India remarks online. The court’s strong observations highlighted not just the seriousness of the allegations but also the importance of accountability for educators in public life.
