A Supreme Court bench comprising of CJI K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam has extended ban on SIMI (Student Islamic Movement of India) till second week of the October. Earlier, the court on August 26 had extended the ban on SIMI by six weeks after considering fresh evidence of indulgence of terrorist group in recent anti-national activities.

 

The bench announced that the court was extending the Tribunal’s order by another six weeks. The next hearing of the case would be on September 24. The center argued for an absolute ban on SIMI; it considers the organization has been involved in terrorist activities and has supported extremists and terrorists in J&K and Punjab.

 

In its 42-page affidavit, the center has argued that giving a free hand to the organization would seriously compromise national security. It cited the evidence of SIMI's involvement in various militant and disruptive activities in Maharashtra, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The latest judgment from the Supreme Court has come against the appeal by the Union government after a Delhi High Court Tribunal recommended lifting of the ban on SIMI.