Jammu/New Delhi, March 24, 2026:
A special court in Delhi on Tuesday sentenced three senior members of the banned separatist organisation Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM) in connection with a 2018 conspiracy case related to secessionist activities in Jammu & Kashmir.
The court awarded life imprisonment to Asiya Andrabi, founder and chief of the organisation, while her close aides Sofi Fehmeeda and Nahida Nasreen were sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment each. The court also imposed financial penalties on all three convicts.
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Case Background
The case was registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in April 2018 as a suo motu case, following inputs about alleged anti-national activities carried out by the organisation.
Investigations revealed that members of Dukhtaran-e-Millat were:
• Promoting secession of Jammu & Kashmir from India
• Using social media, videos, and public speeches to spread propaganda
• Allegedly inciting unrest and radicalisation
The three accused were arrested in July 2018 and later chargesheeted in November 2018 after the agency examined digital evidence, media interactions, and other materials.
In January 2026, the court had convicted all three under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code.
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Court Findings & Charges
The court found the accused guilty under:
• UAPA Sections 18, 38, 39 (conspiracy, membership, support to a banned organisation)
• IPC Sections 153A, 153B, 120B, 121A, and 505 (promoting enmity, criminal conspiracy, anti-state activities)
According to the prosecution, the trio played an active role in sustaining and expanding the activities of DeM, which has been declared a banned organisation.
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Back History of the Convicted
Asiya Andrabi
Asiya Andrabi is a prominent separatist figure in Kashmir and the founder of Dukhtaran-e-Millat, an all-women organisation formed in the late 1980s.
• Known for advocating separatist ideology and implementation of Islamic law in Kashmir
• Has remained active in protests and mobilisation campaigns over the decades
• Arrested multiple times prior to 2018 under various preventive laws
• Named in over 30 FIRs across Jammu & Kashmir
She is married to Ashiq Hussain Faktoo, who is serving life imprisonment in a separate case linked to the killing of human rights activist H. N. Wanchoo.
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Sofi Fehmeeda
Sofi Fehmeeda served as the press secretary of Dukhtaran-e-Millat.
• Actively handled media communication and messaging of the outfit
• Accused of spreading secessionist content through public statements and digital platforms
• Reportedly named in multiple other cases linked to similar activities
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Nahida Nasreen
Nahida Nasreen, the general secretary of DeM, played a key organisational role.
• Involved in coordination and mobilisation activities
• Linked to dissemination of anti-India narratives
• Also faces several other cases registered in Jammu & Kashmir
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About Dukhtaran-e-Millat
Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM) is an all-women separatist organisation formed with the stated objective of:
• Seeking separation of Kashmir from India
• Promoting a religious-political framework in the region
The organisation has been banned under UAPA for its alleged involvement in anti-national and unlawful activities.
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Significance of the Verdict
The sentencing marks a major development in a long-pending terror conspiracy case, reinforcing the government’s stance on:
• Crackdown against separatist networks
• Monitoring of digital propaganda and radicalisation
• Strict enforcement of anti-terror laws like UAPA
Officials stated that the verdict sends a strong message against activities threatening national integrity and sovereignty.
