Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has approved the prosecution of author Arundhati Roy and former Central University of Kashmir professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). This decision follows an FIR registered against them by orders of the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate, New Delhi, stemming from a complaint filed by social activist Sushil Pandit in October 2010.
Event details and allegations
The Raj Niwas officials confirmed on Friday that the sanction was granted under section 45(1) of the UAPA for their alleged involvement in delivering provocative speeches at an event titled ‘Azadi – The Only Way’ held at LTG Auditorium, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi, on October 21, 2010. The event, organized by individuals advocating for Kashmir’s separation from India, featured speeches from figures including Arundhati Roy, Sheikh Showkat Hussain, and others.
Last October, Lieutenant Governor Saxena had also authorized prosecution under section 196 of the CrPC for offenses related to promoting enmity between groups, assertions prejudicial to national integration, and making statements conducing to public mischief under IPC sections 153A, 153B, and 505 respectively.
Neither Arundhati Roy nor Sheikh Showkat Hussain have publicly responded to the developments at the time of reporting. The case originated from a complaint under Section 156(3) of the CrPC, leading to the Metropolitan Magistrate’s direction to register an FIR on November 27, 2010.
Accordingly, an FIR was registered and investigation was carried out, they said.
(With PTI inputs)