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 pertains to their alleged provocative speeches at an event held in New Delhi in 2010, according to an announcement by Raj Niwas officials on Friday, June 14.
The FIR against Roy and Hussain was filed following a complaint by social activist Sushil Pandit on October 28, 2010. Based on this complaint, the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate, New Delhi, ordered the registration of the FIR, which led to an investigation into the matter.
Roy was one of the speakers at the event, and the FIR accuses her and other participants of making incendiary remarks during the conference. “Delhi Lt Governor V. K. Saxena has sanctioned the prosecution of Arundhati Roy and former Central University of Kashmir professor Dr. Sheikh Showkat Hussain under Section 45(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with this case,” a Raj Niwas official stated.
In October 2023, Saxena had also authorized the prosecution of Roy and Hussain under Section 196 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) for offences punishable under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
According to PTI, other speakers at the conference included late Syed Ali Shah Geelani, late SAR Geelani (the anchor of the conference), Arundhati Roy, Dr. Sheikh Showkat Hussain, and Varavara Rao.