A sessions court has confirmed the pre arrest bail of a woman professor at the University of Okara who was accused of orchestrating a digital defamation campaign against the university’s vice chancellor. The case was registered by National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) following a complaint submitted by Vice Chancellor Dr Sajjad Mubin under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016. The proceedings relate to allegations involving social media content and messages that were allegedly circulated against the complainant and other university officials. The court, while examining the material presented during the bail proceedings, noted that the evidence available at this stage, including screenshots, was not grave in nature and also considered the possibility that the professor could have been falsely implicated.
According to the FIR registered by NCCIA, Shehla Honey, an assistant professor at the University of Okara, allegedly used a WhatsApp group to circulate defamatory and derogatory statements concerning Dr Sajjad Mubin and other university officials. The complaint alleged that the professor shared AI generated posters containing slogans including “Stop Harassment at University of Okara” and “Respect Women”. Investigators described the material as part of what they alleged was a malicious online campaign intended to damage the professional standing of the complainant and affect the reputation of the university. The allegations are being dealt with under Peca 2016, while the digital material cited in the case remains part of the investigation into the reported online activity. The professor has denied the allegations contained in the FIR and approached the court seeking protection from being taken into custody while the investigation proceeds.
Advocate Safdar Shaheen Pirzada, representing the petitioner, argued before the court that his client had been implicated in a false case due to mala fide intention and ulterior motives. He maintained that the allegations primarily concerned electronic and digital content and therefore required further inquiry and forensic examination as part of the investigation. The defence position was that the material presented against the professor did not conclusively establish the allegations at the stage of the bail proceedings and that further examination was required. During the proceedings, the court also considered the fact that the professor had previously submitted complaints against the complainant before the university administration as well as NCCIA. This history was taken into account while the court assessed the circumstances surrounding the allegations and the possibility of a dispute between the parties.
In its order confirming the pre arrest bail, Additional District & Sessions Judge Nusrat Ali Siddiqui Malik observed that although the allegations involved defamation and harassment through social media, the evidence presented, particularly the screenshots, was not grave in nature. The judge further noted that the petitioner had previously lodged complaints against the complainant with the university administration and NCCIA and stated that the possibility of false implication could not be ruled out. Based on these circumstances, the court confirmed the pre arrest bail that had earlier been granted to the professor as interim relief. The bail was made subject to the petitioner furnishing fresh bail bonds amounting to Rs100,000. The case will continue in accordance with the investigation and legal proceedings concerning the allegations made under Peca 2016.
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