Ban on SIMI extended till October: Supreme Court of India

New Delhi, Sep 11: On Thursday, Sep 11 Supreme Court of India further extended ban on Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) till 2nd week of October. A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam extended the ban when Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium mentioned the matter before the court, seeking more time to file fresh affidavit in the case.

Justice Geeta Mittal of the Delhi High Court had lifted the ban on August 5 on the grounds that the evidence against the outfit was too weak to justify the extension of ban under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for allegedly indulging in terrorist and anti-national activities. The apex court had, however, stayed the operation of the order of the special tribunal of the High Court lifting the ban, on August 6.

The government, in its fresh affidavit filed last month, had contended that around 1,900 SIMI activists were presently in prisons across the country with 89 cases registered against them.

The Union Home Ministry had extended the ban on SIMI by 2 years wide notification dated February 7, 2008.

According to the government, SIMI has close links with international and national terrorist outfits such as al-Qaeda and Dawood Abrahim.

The case was earlier listed for hearing on September 24 and now its next hearing would be in the 2nd week of October.

UNI