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Kashmiri Separatist Asia Andrabi News: A Delhi court has convicted Kashmiri separatist leader Asiya Andrabi and two of her close associates for serious offences including conspiracy to commit terrorism, waging war against the Government of India, and membership of a banned organisation. The verdict marks a significant development in one of the most closely watched terror-related prosecutions linked to separatist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
The judgment was delivered by Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh of the Karkardooma Courts, who found Andrabi, along with Sofi Fehmeeda and Nahida Nasreen, guilty of multiple offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC). While Andrabi was the chairperson of the banned women-led separatist outfit Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM), Fehmeeda served as its press secretary and Nasreen held the post of general secretary.
In a detailed order, the court observed that the accused consistently propagated the idea that Jammu and Kashmir should secede from India and merge with Pakistan on religious grounds. The court noted that their ideology was rooted in the two-nation theory and that they repeatedly asserted that a Muslim-majority region could not remain part of India.
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Judge Singh stated that the actions, speeches, and propaganda of the accused demonstrated a clear lack of allegiance to the Constitution of India. The court emphasised that the accused neither recognised nor upheld constitutional authority and instead actively sought the secession of an integral part of the country.
Addressing the defence argument that the accused were exercising a right to self-determination based on United Nations resolutions, the court pointed out the inherent contradiction in their claims. While invoking self-determination, the accused simultaneously asserted that Kashmir already belonged to Pakistan and that India was an illegal occupier. This, the court said, made it evident that their objective was not democratic expression but the dismantling of India’s sovereignty.
The accused were found guilty under Sections 18, 20, and 38/39 of the UAPA, as well as Sections 120B, 121, 153A, 153B, and 505 of the IPC. The prosecution, led by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), relied heavily on digital evidence, including videos, social media posts, speeches, and online content that glorified militants such as Burhan Wani, incited stone-pelting, and openly praised Pakistan.
Although the defence questioned the authenticity of the electronic evidence, the court ruled that there was no tampering and that the material clearly established the guilt of the accused. The sentencing phase is scheduled for January 17, when the court will decide the quantum of punishment.
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