NIA charges separatist leader Andrabi based on her social media posts

SRINAGAR: The National Investigation agency (NIA) justified its charges of ‘terror acts’ against Aasiya Andrabi — chief of the banned Dukhtaran-e-Millat, a separatist organisation, based on mostly her social media posts and media interviews, a report by Indian Express stated.

Filed in a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in the national capital on November 14, the chargesheet accused Andrabi and her associates of using various media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, TV channels including channels in Pakistan to spread insurrectionary imputations and hateful messages and speeches against India.

The report states that the agency has analysed 55 videos of DeM and in 13 of them Andrabi was delivering a speech against India, said a senior NIA official.

“Through her terrorist front DeM, Andrabi is also promoting ill-will and enmity between different communities in India with clear intention of undermining the territorial integrity of India,” the agency has said, as per the report.

The chargesheet has also mentioned eight mobile numbers belonging to Andrabi and her associates Fehmeeda, as personal secretary to Andrabi and also press secretary of Dukhtaran-E-Millat, and Nasreen, as the general secretary of the organisation.

“During analysis of mobile numbers, it has been noticed that accused had made and received calls to their associates who are residing in J&K as well as in Pakistan,” an official said, quoting the chargesheet, as per the IE report.

The videos show Andrabi making statements such as “We want freedom from Brahmin Hindustan”; “RSS will be responsible for India’s territorial implosion”, “All Muslims in the subcontinent are Pakistanis”, among others, according to the chargesheet by NIA.

“Dukhtaran-e-Millat through Aasiya Andrabi and others openly advocates secession of Jammu and Kashmir from India and its merger with Pakistan through violent means. Andrabi promoted ill-will and enmity between different communities in India on the ground of religion,” said the chargesheet.

According to NIA, “These are statements that create and promote enmity, hatred and ill-will between communities”, the report stated.

The NIA on April 27 registered a case against Andrabi, Fehmeeda and Nasreen under various sections of Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and arrested them on July 6.