New Delhi: An eminent author Arundhati Roy was booked under UAPA; Delhi LG V K Saxena has accorded sanction to prosecute her.

She was a professor in Central University of Kashmir and she was booked under the stringent UAPA for allegedly making provocative speeches at an event here in 2010.

The FIR against Arundhati Roy professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain was registered following the orders of the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate, New Delhi.

The FIR was filed against them on the basis of a social activist Sushil Pandit of Kashmir on October 28, 2010.

According to the Raj Niwas  official sources, 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.

LG has granted sanction to prosecute them under section 196 of CrPC in October, 2023m for commission of offences punishable under different sections of the IPC: 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).

Roy and Hussain had allegedly made provocative speeches at a conference organised under the banner of ‘Azadi – The Only Way‘ on October 21, 2010 at LTG Auditorium, Copernicus Marg. The issues discussed and spoken about at the conference propagated the separation of Kashmir from India.

Those who delivered speeches at the conference included Syed Ali Shah Geelani, SAR Geelani, 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 November 27, 2010 with the directions to register an FIR.