Delhi's Lieutenant Governor, Vinai Kumar Saxena, has granted sanction to prosecute author and activist Arundhati Roy under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for her alleged "provocative" speech at an event in 2010.
The sanction comes after a complaint was filed by social activist Sushil Pandit, alleging that Roy and former professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain delivered speeches that promoted enmity between different groups and were prejudicial to national integration.
The FIR was registered on November 27, 2010, at Tilak Marg Police Station, following orders from the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate, New Delhi. The complaint alleged that Roy and Hussain, along with other accused, delivered provocative speeches at a conference organised by the Committee for Release of Political Prisoners under the banner of “Azadi – The Only Way” on October 21, 2010.
"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 was quoted by PTI on Friday.
The LG's sanction allows for prosecution under Section 45(1) of the UAPA, which deals with punishment for offences under the Act. This adds to the previous sanction granted in October last year, which allowed for prosecution under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief).
Two other accused, Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Syed Abdul Rahman Geelani, a Delhi University lecturer who was acquitted by the Supreme Court in the Parliament attack case, have since passed away during the pendency of the case.
