New Delhi, Jan 14: A Delhi court on Wednesday convicted Kashmiri separatist leader Asiya Andrabi and two of her associates for offences including conspiracy to wage war against India and membership of a terrorist organisation under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The verdict was delivered by Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh, designated as the special NIA court, in a case registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Convicted Under UAPA and IPC
Andrabi, founder of the banned all-women separatist outfit Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM), along with Sofi Fehmeeda and Nahida Nasreen, was found guilty under UAPA Sections 18 (conspiracy to commit terrorist acts) and 38 (membership of a terrorist organisation).
The court also convicted the trio under multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 121A (conspiracy to wage war against the Government of India), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A and 153B (promoting enmity and prejudicial assertions against national integration), and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief).
All three accused were present in court amid tight security when the judgment was pronounced.
Sentence to Be Decided on January 17
The court has scheduled January 17 for hearing arguments on the quantum of sentence. The offences under UAPA carry severe punishment, including the possibility of life imprisonment.
Case Background
Andrabi was arrested in April 2018 from Anantnag by Jammu and Kashmir Police for allegedly planning large-scale protests and stone-pelting. She was later taken into custody by the NIA after the Union Home Ministry directed the agency to probe the activities of Dukhtaran-e-Millat.
The NIA formally chargesheeted Andrabi and her associates in February 2021 under UAPA and IPC provisions.
According to the FIR, the central government had received intelligence inputs that Andrabi and her associates were actively running Dukhtaran-e-Millat, a proscribed organisation listed under the First Schedule of the UAPA.
Allegations by NIA
The agency alleged that Andrabi and her associates used various media platforms to spread insurrectionary content, hate speeches and separatist propaganda, endangering the sovereignty and integrity of India.
The FIR further claimed that DeM openly advocated the secession of Jammu and Kashmir from India and called for jihad and violence against the country. The accused were also alleged to have sought support from other banned terrorist organisations and promoted communal hatred.
The NIA stated that the trio’s actions were aimed at inciting disaffection against the Government of India and disrupting communal harmony.
With the conviction now secured, the case marks a significant legal milestone in prosecutions related to terror funding, separatism and anti-national activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
