A Delhi court on Tuesday sentenced Kashmiri separatist and Dukhtaran-e-Millat chief Asiya Andrabi to life imprisonment after she was convicted in a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
According to a report by PTI, the verdict was delivered by Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh after hearing arguments on the quantum of sentence.
Along with Andrabi, two of her associates, Sofi Fehmeeda and Nahida Nasreen, were also sentenced in the same case. The court awarded 30 years of imprisonment to both Fehmeeda and Nasreen.
Earlier, on January 14, all three were found guilty under various provisions of the UAPA. These included Section 20, which deals with punishment for being a member of a terrorist gang or organisation, Section 38 related to membership of a terrorist organisation, and Section 39 concerning support to such organisations.
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The court also convicted them under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code. These included Section 153A for promoting enmity between different groups, Section 153B for making imputations harmful to national integration, Section 120B for criminal conspiracy, Section 505 for statements leading to public mischief, and Section 121A for conspiracy to commit offences against the State.
Following the conviction, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had reportedly sought life imprisonment for Andrabi.
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The agency stated that she had waged war against India and said that "a strong message must be sent that conspiring against the State would attract the harshest punishment."
Who is Asiya Andrabi?
Asiya Andrabi is the founder of the all-women separatist organisation Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM), which she established in 1987.
She was arrested in April 2018 in connection with a case linked to alleged anti-India activities and suspected ties with terror groups.
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According to the charges filed by the NIA, Andrabi and her associates were part of a conspiracy aimed at carrying out terrorist acts and promoting the separation of Jammu and Kashmir from India. The court found them guilty under several provisions of the UAPA and the IPC, including charges related to conspiracy and waging war against the State.
What Is Dukhtaran-e-Millat ?
Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM), the organisation founded by Andrabi, is banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. Investigating agencies have stated that the group was involved in spreading anti-India propaganda and encouraging armed uprising in Kashmir.
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