Delhi LG approves prosecution of Arundhati Roy, Kashmir professor in 2010 'provocative speech case
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena has accorded sanction for the prosecution of author Arundhati Roy and a former Kashmiri professor in a 2010 case related to alleged provocative speeches, Raj Niwas officials said on Tuesday.
The FIR against Roy and former professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain was registered following the orders of the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate, New Delhi, they added.
"LG V K Saxena noted that prima facie a case is made out against Roy and Dr Hussain, former Professor, International Law, Central University of Kashmir, for commission of offence under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of Indian Penal Code for their speeches at a public function in the national capital," a Raj Niwas official said on Tuesday.
Under Section 196(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), a valid sanction for prosecution from the state government is a prerequisite for certain offences such as hate speech, hurting religious sentiments, hate crimes, sedition, waging war against state and promoting enmity among others.
Two other accused -- Kashmiri separatist leader Sayed Ali Shah Geelani and a Delhi University lecturer Syed Abdul Rahman Geelani, who was acquitted by the Supreme Court in Parliament attack case on technical grounds -- died during the pendency of the case.
Sushil Pandit, a social activist from Kashmir, had filed a complaint on October 28, 2010 with the Tilak Marg Station House Officer against various people and speakers involved in delivering "provocative speeches" in public in a conference organised by 'Committee for release of Political Prisoners (CRPP) under the banner of "Azadi - The only Way", on October 21.
The complainant had alleged that the issue discussed and propagated was "Separation of Kashmir from India".
It was also alleged the speeches were provocative in nature, thus jeopardising public peace and security.
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Delhi govt departments distance themselves from AAP's promised schemes
Asks people not to share personal details
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi government's Women and Child Development and Health departments issued public notices on Wednesday distancing themselves from the ruling AAP's promised schemes of providing Rs 2,100 to women and free treatment for the elderly, triggering a fresh row ahead of assembly polls.
The two departments also cautioned the people against providing personal details to anyone on the pretext of registration for "non-existent" schemes, saying any private individual or political party collecting such physical forms or information is "fraudulent and without any authority".
The development, which came days after AAP leaders launched the exercise of registering people for the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana and Sanjeevani Yojana with much fanfare, left the AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal furious.
Kejriwal, who is leading the registration drive, alleged that the BJP was rattled by the two schemes and claimed that Chief Minister Atishi could be arrested in a "fake" case in the coming days.
"They are completely rattled with Mahila Samman Yojna and Sanjeevani Yojna. They have hatched a plan to come up with a fake case and arrest Chief Minister Atishi in the next few days," he said on X.
He also claimed that before Atishi's arrest, raids would be conducted against senior AAP leaders.
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj had on Tuesday claimed that she spoke to the health secretary of the Delhi government and was informed that there was no "Sanjeevani Yojna" in existence.
Both the schemes were announced by Kejriwal ahead of Assembly polls in February next year and AAP had started registrations for the schemes in campaign mode. Its leaders are confident that the measure will help woo voters as many believe that such schemes were a factor in the ruling parties retaining power in several state elections.
"It has been brought to the notice of the Department of Women and Child Development, through media reports and social media posts, that a political party is claiming to disburse Rs 2100 per month under Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana to women in Delhi.
"It is clarified that no such scheme has been notified by the Government of Delhi," said the public notice by the department.
If and when the scheme begins, the department will launch a digital portal for eligible individuals to submit their applications online as per the approved guidelines, it said.
Since no such scheme exists, the question of physical forms for registration under this non-existent scheme does not arise, read the notice.
"Any private individual/ political party collecting such physical forms/applications or collecting information from applicants under the name of the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana is fraudulent and without any authority," it said.
The notice cautioned the people that providing personal details and sensitive information like PAN account numbers, phone numbers or Voter ID, in the name of the scheme may lead to crime including cyber and banking frauds.
It advised people not to entertain the "misleading" promise of non- non-existent scheme and to exercise caution and asked them not to provide personal details to unauthorised persons.
The Mahila Samman Yojna was announced by the AAP government in the budget 2024-25 to provide Rs 1000 per month to all eligible women aged above 18 in Delhi. Kejriwal recently promised to raise the amount to Rs 2100 per woman if AAP returned to power.
The Health and Family Department public notice similarly cautioned the people about "Sanjeevani Yojna" announced by the AAP supremo for free treatment of senior citizens above 60 years at government and private hospitals.
It has also come to the notice of the department that a registration drive to get enrolled under this scheme by filling up physical forms has also been started by some political functionaries and volunteers who are visiting door to door to collect information from elderly citizens and handing over to them some sort of "Health/Sanjeevani Scheme Card".
The notice said details of senior citizens like phone numbers, addresses, Aadhar and bank accounts were being sought for the registration and many of the elderly people have started visiting government hospitals and government offices to enquire about the scheme.
The notice said the Health and Family department does not have any supposed "Sanjeevani Scheme" in existence till date.
"Any private individual/political party collecting such physical forms/ applications or collecting information of applicants under the name of "Sanjeevani Yojna" is fraudulent and without any authority," read the notice clarifying the department has not authorised any health officials to collect personal details of the elderly.
