For 8th time, ban on SIMI extended

New Delhi, Aug 30: A tribunal headed by a Delhi High Court judge has confirmed five-year extension of the ban imposed on SIMI by the central government under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The tribunal presided by Justice Mukta Gupta has concluded that there is "sufficient material" to declare the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) an "unlawful association".

"Having analysed the evidence led before this tribunal, there is sufficient material to hold that conditions of Section 2(p)(i) and (ii) of UAPA are satisfied in the present case.

Hence, in view of the findings as above, it is held that there is sufficient cause for declaring SIMI as an 'unlawful association' and an order is passed under Section 4 (3) of the UAPA confirming the declaration made in the notification of the Ministry of Home Affairs S.O.564(E) dated 31st January, 2019 issued under Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967," the tribunal said.

The tribunal was constituted in January following the imposition of the ban on SIMI.

A Home Ministry notification issued on January 31 stated that if the unlawful activities of SIMI are not curbed and controlled immediately, it will continue its subversive activities, re-organise its activists who are still absconding, and disrupt the secular fabric of the country by propagating anti-national sentiments and escalating secessionism.

Among the terror acts in which SIMI members were allegedly involved in Gaya blasts in 2017, M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore in 2014, and jailbreak in Bhopal in 2014.

The police from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Kerala have provided details of conviction against top SIMI leaders Safdar Nagori, Abu Faisal, among others.

Faisal was instrumental in the 2013 Khandwa jailbreak incident, according to investigators.

Members of the group have allegedly been involved in bank robberies, killings of policemen, blasts, among other cases, officials said.

The SIMI was first banned in 2001 and since then the ban on the organisation has been banned extended regularly.

This was for the eight time, the ban has been extended.