Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has sanctioned the prosecution of author Arundhati Roy and former Professor of International Law in Central University of Kashmir, Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain, in a case relating to their alleged provocative speeches at a public function in 2010, Raj Niwas officials said on Friday.

Saxena sanctioned the prosecution of Arundhati Roy and Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain under IPC’s Section 45 (1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

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The FIR in the matter was registered on a complaint made by Sushil Pandit on October 28, 2010.

Earlier, the L-G had granted sanction under section 196 of CrPC to prosecute the above accused for the commission of offences punishable under sections 153A, 153B and 505 of the IPC in October 2023.

“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, New Delhi. The issues discussed and spoken about at the conference propagated the separation of Kashmir from India,” the Raj Niwas officials said.

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 Maoist sympathiser Vara Vara Rao.

It was alleged that Geelani and Arundhati Roy strongly propagated that Kashmir was never part of India and was forcibly occupied by the Armed Forces of India and every possible effort should be made for the independence of the J-K from India and recordings of the same were provided by the complainant.

The complainant filed a complaint under Section 156(3) of CrPC before the MM Court, New Delhi, which disposed of the complaint vide order dated November 27, 2010, with the directions to register an FIR. Accordingly, an FIR was registered and an investigation was carried out.