2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Mar 25, 2026 03:26 AM ISTIn February 2021, the court had framed terrorism, sedition, UAPA and other charges against Andrabi and her two associates. (File Photo)A DELHI court Tuesday sentenced Kashmiri separatist Asiya Andrabi to life imprisonment in a terror case lodged under the stringent UAPA. Two of her aides were awarded an imprisonment of 30 years.Andrabi, chief of the banned Kashmiri outfit Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DEM), was arrested in 2018 for allegedly using various platforms to spread “insurrectionary imputations and hateful speeches” that endangered the integrity, security and sovereignty of India. She and her aides, Nahida Nasreen and Fahmeeda Sofi, were arrested in July 2018 by the NIA from a Srinagar prison, where they were lodged in a case registered by the J&K Police.“The acts of the convict brought on record may not apparently be the direct cause of inciting violence but infusing the minds of Kashmiris, especially the youngsters, with the idea that Kashmir is not part of India, and India has occupied the Kashmir illegally and in a hostile manner can evoke the sentiments of the people of Kashmir as well as it may lead them to use all kind of method, including violence, to seek the supposed liberation, the idea of which is wrongly seeded in their minds,” Judge Chander Jit Singh said in the judgment.“The fact of convicts being educated women aggravates the liability for consequences of their actions rather than mitigating it as from an educated person, it is expected that they have taken an informed decision regarding their actions and have not done anything instinctively,” the judge added.The NIA said that through their activities on cyber space, Andrabi and her two aides were running a concerted campaign to solicit support of the Pakistani establishment, which included arranging support from terrorist entities from Pakistan.Nirbhay Thakur is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express who primarily covers district courts in Delhi and has reported on the trials of many high-profile cases since 2023. Professional Background Education: Nirbhay is an economics graduate from Delhi University. Beats: His reporting spans the trial courts, and he occasionally interviews ambassadors and has a keen interest in doing data stories. Specializations: He has a specific interest in data stories related to courts. Core Strength: Nirbhay is known for tracking long-running legal sagas and providing meticulous updates on high-profile criminal trials. Recent notable articles In 2025, he has written long form articles and two investigations. Along with breaking many court stories, he has also done various exclusive stories. 1) A long form on Surender Koli, accused in the Nithari serial killings of 2006. He was acquitted after spending 2 decades in jail. was a branded man. Deemed the “cannibal" who allegedly lured children to his employer’s house in Noida, murdered them, and “ate their flesh” – his actions cited were cited as evidence of human depravity at its worst. However, the SC acquitted him finding various lapses in the investigation. The Indian Express spoke to his lawyers and traced the 2 decades journey. 2) For decades, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been at the forefront of the Government’s national rankings, placed at No. 2 over the past two years alone. It has also been the crucible of campus activism, its protests often spilling into national debates, its student leaders going on to become the faces and voices of political parties of all hues and thoughts. The Indian Express looked at all court cases spanning over two decades and did an investigation. 3) Investigation on the 700 Delhi riots cases. The Indian Express found that in 17 of 93 acquittals (which amounted to 85% of the decided cases) in Delhi riots cases, courts red-flag ‘fabricated’ evidence and pulled up the police. Signature Style Nirbhay’s writing is characterized by its procedural depth. He excels at summarizing 400-page chargesheets and complex court orders into digestible news for the general public. X (Twitter): @Nirbhaya99 ... Read More © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Asiya AndrabiAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...Live BlogUS-Israel-Iran War News Live Updates: Trump claims Iran has agreed ‘never’ to have a nuclear weapon3 hours agoRajshaladarpan.nic.in, RBSE Rajasthan Class 5th & 8th Results 2026 LIVE: Board declares results for 5th and 8th3 hours agoDubai, UAE News Highlights: Iranian strikes cause fire at company facility in Bahrain5 hours agoDhurandhar 2 Worldwide Box Office Collection Day 5 LIVE Updates: Ranveer Singh-starrer crosses Rs 550 cr mark in India, earns over Rs 850 cr worldwide5 hours agoGold, Silver Rate Today, 24 March 2026 Live Updates: India extends gold import licence validity under UAE CEPA trade pact7 hours ago