A local court here has acquitted nine Muslim men, including two facing trial in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts, who were accused of being members of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and of other anti-national activities.
The metropolitan magistrate court in Kurla passed the order on Thursday. The charges against the accused were levelled in 2001. They got bail in 2003.
Among those acquitted were Ehtesham Siddiqui and Tanvir Ansari, who are facing trial in the 7/11 blasts case.
The nine were booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after they were allegedly found to be in possession of provocative material and CDs with inflammatory speeches. Counsel for the accused, Sharif Sheikh, who appeared on behalf of the Jamiat-e-Ulema Maharashtra, had argued before the court that the men were associated with the outfit before it was banned.
