Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) chief Safdar Hussain Nagori and 10 other activists of the banned group were on Monday awarded life imprisonment in a 2008 sedition case by a special court.
Special Additional Sessions Judge B.K. Paloda pronounced that all the 11 SIMI activists were guilty under IPC sections 124(A) (sedition) and 153 (A)(promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) and relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
On a plea of 10 of the accused lodged in Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Central Jail, they were informed about the court’s judgment through video conferencing.
Besides 45-year-old Nagori, the others convicted are Hafiz Hussain (35), Aamil Parvaz (40), Shivli (38), Qamruddin (42), Shahduli (32), Qamran (40), Ansar (35), Ahmed Baig (32), Yasin (35) and Munroz (40).
Nagori, Parvaz, Qamruddin, Qamran, Shivli, Ahmed Baig and Hussain were also convicted under IPC Section 122 (collecting arms with intention of waging war against the government of India).
In its 84-page judgement, the court observed, “It appears from the activities of the convict that they don’t have faith in the lawfully and constitutionally established Government of India...Their acts are against national unity and integrity of the country. They are involved in illegal activities by fomenting religious hatred with an aim to create serious danger for the entire humanity.”
