Delhi L-G allows Arundhati Roy to be prosecuted under UAPA in 2010 case
Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena on Friday sanctioned the prosecution of novelist Arundhati Roy, for allegedly provocative statements made at a 2010 event propagating Kashmiri separatism, under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, according to Raj Niwas officials. The L-G had already sanctioned prosecution under several sections of the Indian Penal Code last year.
The L-G also sanctioned the prosecution under UAPA of Sheikh Showkat Hussain, former Professor of International Law at the Central University of Kashmir, for his alleged statements at the same event, a conference organised in New Delhi’s LTG auditorium in 2010 under the banner of ‘Azadi – The Only Way’.
Section 13 of the UAPA deals with advocating, abetting or inciting any unlawful activity and is punishable with imprisonment for up to seven years.
Roy and Hussain were accused of making provocative speeches at the conference on 21 October, 2010, at LTG Auditorium in New Delhi. The issues discussed and spoken about at the conference propagated the “separation of Kashmir from India” officials said.
Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and a Delhi University lecturer SAR Geelani, who were acquitted by the Supreme Court in Parliament attack case, were also named in the FIR but passed away.
Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena has sanctioned the prosecution of Arundhati Roy and former Professor of International Law in Central University of Kashmir, Dr. Sheikh Showkat Hussain, under section 45 (1) of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the case” a Raj Niwas official Said.
October last year, the L-G had granted sanction to prosecute them under section 196 of CrPC for commission of offences punishable under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.
At a conference on October 21, 2010, which was organised under the banner of ‘Azadi – The Only Way’ – Roy and Hussain had allegedly made provocative speeches.
“The issues discussed and spoken about at the conference propagated the separation of Kashmir from India,” said the Raj Niwas official.
The complainant filed a complaint under Section 156(3) of CrPC before the MM Court, New Delhi, which disposed of the complaint vide order dated November 27, 2010, with the directions to register an FIR. Accordingly, an FIR was registered and an investigation was carried out.
According to PTI, those who delivered speeches at the conference included Syed Ali Shah Geelani, SAR Geelani (anchor of the Conference and prime accused in the Parliament attack case), Arundhati Roy, Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain and Varavara Rao.
