NIA files charge sheet in SIMI Vagamon camp case

Kochi, Jan 13 (PTI) Thirty hardcore activists of thebanned SIMI from five states were today chargesheeted by theNational Investigation Agency which accused them of seditionand other offences in connection with an alleged training campin Kerala by the outfit on making bombs and use of weapons.

Out of the 30 accused, 29 SIMI activists are lodged inSabarmati Central Jail, Ahmedabad. They were allegedlyinvolved in various terrorist cases in the country, includingthe Ahmedabad serial blasts in 2008. Another accused, AbdulSattar from Kerala, is abroad and a Proclamation Warrant and alook out notice have been issued against him.

The NIA, probing various terror related cases inKerala, filed the charge sheet before CBI Special Court judgeS Vijay Kumar here, listing P A Shaduli of Erattupetta as thefirst accused.

The activists of the Students Islamic Movement ofIndia have been charged with offences under various sectionsof IPC, including 124-A (sedition), 122 (Collecting arms etc.

with intention of waging war against the Government of India,153-1 (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds ofreligion) and (120-B) criminal conspiracy.

The accused hailing from Kerala, Karnataka, MadhyaPradesh, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh have also been chargedunder the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 and theArms Act 1959 and Explosives Substances Act 1908.

According to the charge sheet, the SIMI camp was heldat Vagamon in Idukki District in the first week of December2007 to give training on making bombs and use of weapons.

Initially the case was handled by local police butsince it involved terrorist activities with inter-stateramifications, the Union Home Ministry directed the NIA totake up investigation.

Besides, seven more SIMI activists of Jharkhand, UttarPradesh, Maharashtra are at large and investigation againstthem will continue, the NIA said.