Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena approved the prosecution of author Arundhati Roy under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for her allegedly 'provocative' speech at a 2010 event, according to Raj Niwas officials cited by PTI.

“Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena has sanctioned the prosecution of Arundhati Roy and former Professor of International Law in Central University of Kashmir, Dr. Sheikh Showkat Hussain, under section 45 (1) of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the case,” a Raj Niwas official said.

Last October, Saxena had approved the prosecution of Roy and former Central University of Kashmir professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain under Section 196 of the CrPC for committing offenses punishable under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

"The issues discussed and spoken about at the conference propagated the separation of Kashmir from India," the Raj Niwas official said.

In addition to Roy and Sheikh Showkat Hussain, the other speakers included the late Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, SAR Geelani (anchor of the conference and prime accused in the Parliament attack case), and Varavara Rao.

Activist Sushil Pandit, from Kashmir, filed a complaint under Section 156(3) of the CrPC before the Metropolitan Magistrate Court in New Delhi. On November 27, 2010, the court disposed of the complaint, directing the registration of an FIR.

The complaint alleged that both Geelani and Arundhati Roy vociferously advocated that Kashmir had never been a part of India and was forcibly occupied by the Indian Armed Forces. They urged every possible effort be made for the independence of Jammu and Kashmir from India, with recordings of their speeches provided by the complainant.

Subsequently, an FIR was registered and an investigation was conducted, officials added. Roy has been a vocal critic of the Modi government, expressing dissent on various issues.