Delhi L-G nod to prosecute Arundhati Roy under UAPA

New Delhi, June 14

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Friday sanctioned the prosecution of writer and activist Arundhati Roy and former Professor of International Law in Central University of Kashmir Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Earlier, Saxena granted sanction under Section 196 of CrPC to prosecute Arundhati and Dr Hussain accused of commission of offenses punishable under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between groups), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code in October 2023.

The FIR in the matter was registered on a complaint made by Sushil Pandit on October 28, 2010. Officials said, “Roy and Hussain had allegedly made provocative speeches at a conference organised under the banner of ‘Azadi — The Only Way’ on October 21, 2010, in Delhi. The issues discussed and spoken about at the conference propagated the ‘separation of Kashmir from India’.”

Besides Roy and Hussain, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Syed Abdul Rahman Geelani, Arundhati Roy and Vara Vara Rao delivered speeches in the conference, an official said.