Seven alleged SIMI members acquitted

A local court today acquitted seven persons, including one who is also an accused in the July 2006 serial blasts case, charged for being members of banned outfit, Students Islamic Movement of India(SIMI), for lack of evidence.
According to police, the seven persons were arrested from Vikhroli in central Mumbai on September 27, 2007, the day when SIMI was banned following a tip off that SIMI members were to hold a meeting.
The police said that when they visited the spot, they heard the accused saying that they did not agree with the decision (of banning SIMI) and that they would protest.

The accused Abdul Wahid, also an accused in serial blasts case, Sardar Aman Khan, Irfan Ahmed, Jamshed, Imran Ahmed, Azeem Sheikh, Abdul Jabber and Amirullah were arrested and some literature was recovered from them, the police stated.
All the accused, charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities(Prevention) Act, were granted bail in November 2011.
The prosecution examined nine witnesses in the case including seven policemen.

The defence argued no literature seized was produced in the court, while the panch witnesses had turned hostile.
The defence pointed out that there were contradictions in the statements given by the policemen and also argued that if the accused wanted to protest, they had the right to do so under the Constitution.

They also brought to the notice of the court that even the DCP, who had sent proposal for sanction for prosecution, was not examined.
Accepting the arguments of the defence, the magistrate's court acquitted all the accused.