19 yrs after ‘SIMI link’ cost over Surat meet, 127 acquitted

A Chief Judicial Magistrate court docket in Surat Saturday acquitted all of the 127 accused booked beneath the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in 2001 for collaborating in a gathering allegedly organised to advertise the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), saying the proof towards them was “not reliable or satisfactory enough”.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Amitkumar Dave mentioned the investigators had did not show the accused “were members of the banned outfit or that they had gathered there to give a push to the movement”. “The court has found that the accused had gathered to attend (an) educational programme and had not carried any weapons. The prosecution has also not proved that the accused had gathered for any activity related to SIMI. Even during the raids not a single member out of 123 arrested from the spot tried to escape. Neither do the seized documents have any relevance with SIMI.”
Of the 127, 111 have been current in court docket on Saturday. Seven are lifeless, 5 are in jail on different costs, whereas 4 are bedridden. Almost all of them spent 10 months to at least one yr in jail, subsequently getting bail from the Gujarat High Court.
The court docket additionally discovered that no legitimate sanctions had been submitted earlier than court docket to prosecute the accused whereas submitting the chargesheet in 2002, as required beneath the UAPA legislation.
Around midnight on December 28, 2001, the Surat metropolis police had carried out raids at a corridor in Surat’s Navsari Bazaar, apparently on a tip-off, and arrested 123 individuals who had come from throughout the nation for a gathering. Police claimed to have recovered varieties to enrol into SIMI, in addition to banners, books and literature praising Osama bin Laden, plus handouts in Urdu and Arabic. It alleged that on seeing police, a number of current had chewed up SIM playing cards of cellphones, which have been uncommon on the time, to destroy proof. SIMI had been banned for the primary time simply two months earlier, in September that yr.
Those current mentioned that they had come to attend a two-day seminar on academic rights and constitutional steerage organised by the All India Minorities Education Board. But police tried to ascertain affiliation with SIMI on the truth that the corridor had been booked by A R Qureshi and Alif Majid Mansuri, the brother of SIMI nationwide member Sajid Mansuri. It mentioned the tutorial seminar was only a entrance to hold out SIMI actions.
After the 123 held from Navsari, 4 extra have been picked up.
Maulana Ataur Rehman Wazdi, now 85, was current within the courtroom on Saturday in a wheelchair. A resident of Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Wazdi mentioned following the costs, they have been shunned by everyone. “Nobody talked to us or listened to us. I have lived all these years with the taint of being an anti-national. Now we will at least die free,” Wazdi mentioned, including that he might by no means consider appearing towards the land of his forefathers.
Also current was Ziauddin Siddiqui, 58, a resident of Aurangabad who runs a pharmaceutical enterprise and holds a diploma in journalism. He mentioned his complete household, together with his 85-year-old mom, spent a sleepless evening on Friday. “They were afraid that if we were convicted we would have to go to jail again… Thanks to the Almighty the judgment came in our favour… After the order, we all went to the mosque and offered prayers. We believe the truth never dies, even though it takes time. One should be hopeful and keep patience. ”
Siddiqui, who spent 11 months in jail, mentioned he first learnt what he was being accused of from TV and newspapers. While a member of SIMI from 1984 to 1993 (when the organisation was not banned), Siddiqui had “retired” from the scholars’ physique at turning 30. He was amongst those that attended each listening to. For the final six years, these from outdoors Gujarat had been exempted from showing in particular person.
“We were shocked to be termed anti-nationals. When we got out of jail, our relatives and acquaintances distanced themselves from us, as if we had committed a great sin. The stamp of anti-national not only ruined my life but also my ancestral business. Nobody extended us any financial help,” mentioned Siddiqui.

Defence lawyer Adbul Wahab Shaikh mentioned, “We are happy with the order. The accused lived with this taint for 19 years.”
District Government Pleader Advocate Nayan Sukhadwala mentioned they’d resolve on whether or not to method the High Court or not after finding out the order.

IGP P Okay Roushan, who had supervised the investigation because the DCP, Surat South, on the time, repeated that these current on the gathering had behaved suspiciously. “Some of them were sleeping. Some chewed up their SIM cards.”