Delhi HC Seeks NIA Reply On Aasiya Andrabi’s Appeal Against UAPA Conviction

New Delhi, Aug 3: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) response to appeals filed by hardline separatist Aasiya Andrabi and her two associates challenging their conviction in a UAPA case involving allegations of conspiring to wage war against India and membership of a terrorist organisation.

A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Vikas Mahajan condoned the delay in filing the appeals against the trial court verdict and issued notice to the investigating agency.

The court granted the NIA time till September 15 to respond to the pleas seeking suspension of sentence and listed the matter for hearing on October 6.

Andrabi, 62, founder of the women’s separatist group Dukhtaran-e-Millat, and her associates Nahida Nasreen, 58, and Sofi Fehmeeda, 48, were convicted by a special NIA court on January 14. The trial court held that they had orchestrated a systematic campaign aimed at destabilising Jammu and Kashmir.

On March 24, Andrabi was sentenced to life imprisonment, while Nasreen and Fehmeeda were awarded 30 years in prison each.

The three were formally charged in February 2021 under various provisions of the UAPA and IPC. The trial court convicted them under UAPA Sections 18 and 38 and several IPC provisions, including those relating to promoting enmity, conspiracy to wage war against the government, criminal conspiracy and statements prejudicial to public order.

The case was registered by the NIA in April 2018 on the directions of the Union Home Ministry. The agency had alleged that Andrabi and her associates were operating the proscribed Dukhtaran-e-Millat and using various platforms to promote secessionist activities and incite violence against the country.

Andrabi was arrested by Jammu and Kashmir Police in April 2018 in Anantnag for allegedly planning a large-scale demonstration and stone-pelting. (Agencies)