Delhi court sentences Asiya Andrabi to life imprisonment in UAPA case

A Delhi court on Tuesday sentenced Kashmiri separatist leader Asiya Andrabi to life imprisonment after convicting her in a case under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act).

Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh pronounced the sentence after hearing arguments on the quantum of punishment.

The court also awarded 30-year prison sentences to Andrabi’s associates Sofi Fehmeeda and Nahida Nasreen, who were convicted in the same case.

All three had been found guilty on 14 January under multiple provisions of the UAPA, including Sections 20 (membership of a terrorist organisation), 38 (offence relating to membership) and 39 (supporting a terrorist organisation).

Conviction under IPC provisions

In addition to UAPA charges, the court also convicted them under several IPC (Indian Penal Code) sections, including 153A (promoting enmity between groups), 153B (prejudicial to national integration), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 505 (public mischief) and 121A (conspiracy against the State).

The NIA (National Investigation Agency) had sought life imprisonment for Andrabi, arguing that she had waged war against India and that a strong message needed to be sent against activities threatening national security.

The court accepted the prosecution’s submissions on the gravity of the offences while deciding the sentence.

Andrabi heads Dukhtaran-e-Millat, a separatist organisation based in Jammu and Kashmir. The case against her and her associates relates to alleged activities linked to secessionism and support for terrorist organisations.

The judgment marks a significant development in cases prosecuted under the UAPA, with courts increasingly taking a strict view on offences related to national security and sovereignty.