New Delhi, Mar 11 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has sought life imprisonment for Kashmiri separatist leader and Dukhtaran-e-Millat chief Asiya Andrabi after her conviction in a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), alleging that she conspired to wage war against India.
Details available with news agency Kashmir News Corner — KNC, the submissions were made before Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh, who is hearing arguments on the quantum of sentence against Andrabi and her two associates Sofi Fehmeeda and Nahida Nasreen, who were earlier convicted by the court in January this year.
The NIA told the court that the three accused were part of a deep-rooted conspiracy against the Government of India and used social media platforms and public gatherings to propagate anti-India narratives with the support of entities based abroad.
The agency further claimed that the proscribed organisation Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DEM) was used to incite unrest and promote the secession of Jammu and Kashmir from India, while also alleging links with Pakistan-based elements including UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed, founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Opposing the demand for life imprisonment, the defence counsel argued that the prosecution had failed to provide evidence that the speeches or social media posts by the accused directly incited violence.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court has reserved the matter and listed the case for March 24 for pronouncement of the sentencing order. (KNC)
