Security tightened for judge facing social media threats over life terms in Madhya Pradesh lynching case

3 min readBhopalUpdated: Jul 1, 2026 04:19 AM IST

Following complaints of the online campaign, police also registered an FIR against unidentified persons.

Police have registered an FIR and enhanced the security of a sessions judge in Madhya Pradesh, who recently convicted seven men in the 2022 Seoni Malwa lynching case, after she faced a barrage of threats and abuse on social media.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Tabassum Khan, posted in Narmadapuram district, had on June 12 sentenced seven men to life imprisonment for the lynching of truck driver Sheikh Lala Nazir Ahmed, who was beaten to death in August 2022 on suspicion of cow smuggling. In its judgment, the court held that the prosecution had proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused participated in the attack and observed that they had assaulted the deceased with “extreme brutality”.

The court also treated mob lynching as a significant aggravating factor while awarding life imprisonment. It noted that the accused had formed an unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapons and had violently assaulted the victims. The attack also left another victim, Sheikh Mushtaq, injured.

Soon after the verdict, dramatic scenes unfolded outside the court complex as relatives of the convicted men attempted to stop the police vehicle from taking the convicts to jail.

Social media posts begin

In the days following the judgment, multiple videos and social media posts surfaced targeting the judge over her religious identity.

Some videos circulating online showed individuals issuing threats to the judge and setting deadlines for the release of the convicts. Others featured demonstrations demanding that the life sentences be set aside while accusing the judge of deciding the case on the basis of religion. Videos also showed effigies of the judge being burnt in some of the protests.

The campaign has drawn criticism from members of the legal fraternity and public figures, who have expressed concern over attempts to communalise a judicial verdict and target a judicial officer for discharging her duties.

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Rajya Sabha member and senior Congress leader Pawan Khera said, “All the convicts are indeed Hindu men. But they were not convicted because of their religion; they were convicted because the investigation found them guilty of rioting, attempted murder and murder.”

Police case

Following complaints over the online campaign, Seoni Malwa police registered an FIR against unidentified persons under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to promoting enmity and acts prejudicial to public order.

Narmadapuram Additional Superintendent of Police Abhishek Ranjan told The Indian Express, “We have registered an FIR in this case, but the accused are yet to be identified. We are taking the help of various units to track down those behind the social media posts. We are monitoring social media activity and examining the wider perception being created. We have also heightened the security of the judge.”

The lynching case dates back to the intervening night of August 2 and 3, 2022, when Nazir Ahmed and Sheikh Mushtaq were transporting cattle from Nardarwada towards Maharashtra. According to the prosecution, their vehicle was intercepted near Barakhand village in Seoni Malwa by a mob armed with sticks and wooden rods. The victims were assaulted on suspicion of cow smuggling. Nazir Ahmed succumbed to his injuries but Mushtaq survived.

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy.

Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free.

Expertise and Reporting Beats

Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors:

National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.

Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).

Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking.

Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers.

Professional Background

Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017.

Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.

Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs.

Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife.

Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance.

Digital & Professional Presence

Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express

Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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