Millennium Post

Delhi L-G sanctions prosecutio­n of Arundhati Roy and ex-Kashmir professor under UAPA

Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has given the green light for the prosecutio­n of author Arundhati Roy and former Central University of Kashmir professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The move follows allegation­s that they delivered provocativ­e speeches at an event in 2010, Raj Niwas officials announced on Friday.

The FIR against Roy and Hussain was registered based on a directive from the Court of Metropolit­an Magistrate, New Delhi. The complaint, filed by social activist Sushil Pandit on October 28, 2010, accused the two of making incendiary remarks at a conference titled ‘Azadi - The Only Way’ on October 21, 2010, at LTG Auditorium,

Copernicus Marg, New Delhi.

“Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena has sanctioned the prosecutio­n of Arundhati Roy and former Professor of Internatio­nal Law at Central University of Kashmir, Dr. Sheikh Showkat Hussain, under section 45(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,” stated a Raj Niwas official.

Last October, the L-G had granted sanction to prosecute them under section 196 of CrPC for commission of offences punishable under different sections of the Indian Penal Code: 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 ).

“The issues discussed and spoken about at the conference propagated the separation of Kashmir from India,” said the official.

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.

The complainan­t filed a complaint under Section 156(3) of CrPC before the Metropolit­an Magistrate Court, New Delhi, who disposed the complaint on November 27, 2010 with the directions to register an FIR.

Accordingl­y, an FIR was registered and investigat­ion was carried out, they said.

“The issues discussed and spoken about at the conference propagated the separation of Kashmir from India,” said the official