Author Arundhati Roy to be prosecuted under UAPA after sanction from Delhi LG: Officials

“Delhi Lt Governor VK 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 on Friday.

Last October, the LG 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).

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Roy and Hussain had allegedly made provocative speeches at a conference organised under the banner of ‘Azadi – The Only Way’ on 21 October, 2010 at LTG Auditorium, Copernicus Marg.

“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 27 November, 2010 with the directions to register an FIR. Accordingly, an FIR was registered and an investigation was carried out, they said.

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