SIMI members had roles in Patna rally serial blasts: Police

Some members of banned SIMI were involved in the serial blasts in the Patna rally attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the election campaign, a senior police officer today told a tribunal headed by a Delhi High Court judge.
"Umer Siddiqui and Azaharuddin, arrested by Chhattisgarh Police, are members of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and evidence recovered during raids at separate places in Patna and Ranchi after the recent Patna blasts showed their involvement in these cases," Rakesh Bhatt, Civil Lines City Superintendent of Police of Raipur, told Justice Suresh Kait.
Justice Kait has been appointed by the Centre to head the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal to conduct the proceedings, including deposition of various witnesses, to ratify or reject the five-year ban recently imposed on SIMI.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, on February 6, banned SIMI for another five years beginning February 1, saying that if not curbed the group will reorganise and "disrupt the secular fabric" of the country.
Bhatt, who was cross-examined by the counsel for SIMI, said that out of three persons, Chhattisgarh Police got recorded the statements of Abdul Mohsin Khan and Mohd Faizan Latif before a magistrate under section 164 of the CrPC.
While the statement of Mohd Rizwan was recorded before a magistrate's court through the National Investigation Agency.

The police officer also said some members of SIMI had attended a meeting of the terror outfit held at Barnawapara forests, around 100 km away from Raipur and various article such as CDs, laptop, pertaining to training methods of LeT and Hizbul Mujahdeen were seized.

He, however, said that those seized materials have been sent to forensic examination at CFSL Hyderabad and have not been filed before the tribunal.
Extending the ban, the MHA, in its notification, listed 21 terror cases highlighting the alleged involvement of SIMI, including the rioting at Azad Maidan in Mumbai in 2012.