Kashmiri Pandit group files case against Geelani, Roy

NEW DELHI - A Kashmiri Pandit group, Roots in Kashmir (RIK), Monday filed a case against separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, novelist-activist Arundhati Roy and others for speaking in favour of “azadi” at a seminar last month.

The RIK has alleged the speeches were seditious in nature and likely to affect public order and harmony”.

On Oct 28, we filed a complaint at Tilak Marg police station, against the hate speeches delivered Oct 21 by Geelani, Roy and others. All this while we were waiting for government to act against these people, said RIK activist Aditya Raj Kaul.

He added that the government of India has remained a mute spectator and RIK was left with little choice but to file a case in Patiala House court Monday against the “hate-speech makers”.

We expect the hearing to take place Wednesday, Kaul said.

The prayer of the complainant to the Court is to seek an immediate FIR and investigation into the case and initiate criminal proceedings against Hurriyat Chairman - S.A.R. Geelani, fiction-writer Arundhati Roy, said Sushil Pandit, a complainant in the case.

Other people against whom the complaint has been filed include writer Varavara Rao, activist Sujato Bhadra, Sarai founder Shuddhabrata Sengupta and Kashmir University law professor Showkat Hussain.