Delhi LG allows prosecution of Arundhati Roy under UAPA
Delhi lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena granted authorization on Friday to prosecute novelist Arundhati Roy under the harsh Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for her alleged ‘provocative’ speech at an event in 2010, according to Raj Niwas authorities.
“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.
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Last October, Saxena gave permission to charge Roy and former Central University of Kashmir lecturer Sheikh Showkat Hussain under Section 196 of the CrPC for committing offences punishable under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
“The issues discussed and spoken about at the conference propagated the separation of Kashmir from India,” the Raj Niwas official said.
Others who made speeches were late Syed Ali Shah Geelani, SAR Geelani and Varavara Rao
Besides Roy and Sheikh Showkat Hussain, those who made addresses were late Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, SAR Geelani (anchor of the Conference and key accused in the Parliament attack case), and Varavara Rao.
Sushil Pandit, an activist from Kashmir, filed a complaint under Section 156(3) of the CrPC with the Metropolitan Magistrate Court in New Delhi, which dismissed the complaint on November 27, 2010 with instructions to initiate a FIR.
