Delhi Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena has approved the prosecution of author Arundhati Roy under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly making provocative speeches at a 2010 event, according to PTI.
Saxena also granted sanction to prosecute former Central University of Kashmir professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain.
“Delhi Lt. Governor VK Saxena has sanctioned the prosecution of Arundhati Roy and former Professor of International Law at the Central University of Kashmir, Dr. Sheikh Showkat Hussain, under section 45(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in this case,” a Raj Niwas official stated, as quoted by PTI.
The FIR against Roy and Hussain was registered following the orders of the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate, New Delhi. It was based on a complaint filed by Sushil Pandit, a social activist from Kashmir, on October 28, 2010.
At a conference held on October 21, 2010, under the banner “Azadi – The Only Way,” Roy and Hussain allegedly made provocative speeches. “The issues discussed and spoken about at the conference propagated the separation of Kashmir from India,” the Raj Niwas official said.
The complainant filed a complaint under Section 156(3) of the CrPC before the Metropolitan Magistrate Court, New Delhi, which disposed of the complaint on November 27, 2010, directing the registration of an FIR. An FIR was subsequently registered, and an investigation was conducted.
According to PTI, the speakers at the conference included Syed Ali Shah Geelani, SAR Geelani (the conference anchor and a key accused in the Parliament attack case), Arundhati Roy, Dr. Sheikh Showkat Hussain, and Varavara Rao.
