Supreme Court refuses urgent hearing on pleas against ban on SIMI

News Network
July 25, 2023

New Delhi, July 25: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused an urgent hearing on a batch of pleas against a ban imposed on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

A bench of Justices S K Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia asked the lawyer who sought the listing of the matter to approach the court once the hearing on the issue of Article 370 of the Constitution is over.

The lawyer told the bench that the matter came up for hearing on January 18 and has not been listed since then.

The bench then said, "Next week, hearing in the Constitution bench (on Article 370) is starting. Mention it after it is over."

The Centre had earlier told the apex court that the SIMI's objective to establish Islamic rule in India cannot be allowed to subsist and that the activists of the banned outfit are still indulging in disruptive activities that are capable of threatening the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In a counter-affidavit filed in the apex court, which is hearing a batch of pleas on the ban imposed on the SIMI, the Centre had said the activists of the organisation are in "regular touch" with their associates and masters based in other countries and their actions could disrupt peace and communal harmony in India.

It had also said the SIMI aims to mobilise students and youngsters for the propagation of Islam and obtaining support for "jihad" (religious war).

The affidavit said the evidence brought on record clearly establishes that despite being banned since September 27, 2001, except for a brief period in between, the SIMI activists are associating, meeting, conspiring, acquiring arms and ammunition, and indulging in activities, "which are disruptive in character and capable of threatening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India".

It said the SIMI, through its members, has contacts in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh and Nepal and, being an organisation of students and youngsters, it is influenced and used by various fundamentalist Islamic terrorist organisations operating from Jammu and Kashmir.

The government said the SIMI came into existence on April 25, 1977 in Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh as an organisation of youngsters and students who have faith in the Jamaat-e-Islami-Hind (JEIH) and, in 1993, it declared itself independent.

The Centre said the petitioner, on whose plea the counter-affidavit was filed, has challenged a July 29, 2019 order passed by the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal, which had confirmed the declaration of the SIMI as an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in a notification dated January 31, 2019, extended the ban imposed on the organisation by five years.

The SIMI was first banned in 2001. Since then, the ban has been extended regularly. This was the eighth time that the ban was extended.

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News Network
October 28,2024

Mangaluru: In a chilling incident that has raised suspicions of foul play, a 35-year-old man was discovered dead inside a train coach traveling from Bengaluru to Murudeshwar. 

The deceased, identified as Mouzzan from Kumbarpete, Doddaballapur, worked as a sales representative and was differently-abled. He boarded the train on October 24 from Yesvantpur and occupied the Divyang Coach.

The incident came to light on the morning of October 25 at Udupi, where a railway guard found Mouzzan unresponsive. The railway police immediately rushed him to the hospital, but doctors declared him dead. 

With no identification documents on him, the police utilized a label, “RS Tailor Chickpete,” found on his shirt collar to trace his family through WhatsApp, helping his relatives reach Mulki by Saturday.

Upon inspection, police noticed ligature marks around Mouzzan’s neck, hinting at possible foul play. His family reported that his bag and mobile phone were missing, raising further suspicion. 

The last known location of his phone was traced to Sakleshpur, suggesting he may have been targeted during the journey. Investigators suspect robbery as a motive and are now actively pursuing leads, with searches underway in Mysuru and Bengaluru.

A case has been filed at Mulki police station, and efforts to uncover the truth behind this tragic incident are intensifying as police work to piece together the circumstances that led to Mouzzan’s untimely death.

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News Network
October 28,2024

plantation.jpg

Bengaluru: A burned, unidentifiable body discovered in a Kodagu coffee plantation has led Karnataka police to unravel a shocking murder plot involving 54-year-old businessman Ramesh’s wife, Niharika (29), her lover Nikhil, and accomplice Ankur. The trio allegedly orchestrated Ramesh’s murder for financial gain, journeying across state lines to dispose of his body in an attempt to conceal their crime. All three suspects are now in custody.

Suspicious Discovery in Kodagu Estate

On October 8, a charred body was found in a coffee plantation near Suntikoppa, Kodagu. With no immediate means of identification, police reviewed local CCTV footage. A red Mercedes Benz passing through the area raised suspicions. Registered under Ramesh’s name, this vehicle led the police to contact Telangana authorities, linking the case to Ramesh, who had recently been reported missing by his wife, Niharika.

An Intricate Plot for Wealth

As investigations deepened, police began to suspect Niharika’s involvement. Under questioning, she revealed her role in the plot and implicated her accomplices, Nikhil—a veterinary doctor—and Ankur. The probe uncovered Niharika’s troubled past, including a stint in prison, where she met Ankur. After marrying Ramesh, her desire for luxury grew, and she allegedly demanded ₹8 crore, which Ramesh refused, leading her to conspire with Nikhil and Ankur.

Murder and Cover-Up

On October 1 in Uppal, Hyderabad, the accused allegedly strangled Ramesh. They then drove over 800 km to Kodagu, disposing of the body in a coffee estate by setting it ablaze. Niharika later filed a missing person report for Ramesh to cover her tracks.

Painstaking Investigation

Kodagu Police Chief Ramarajan highlighted the challenges faced: “The body was nearly unrecognizable. Our team traced suspicious vehicle activity across CCTV cameras from Kodagu to Tumkur, eventually linking the vehicle to Ramesh from Telangana.” Through detailed examination, police collected enough evidence to arrest Niharika, Nikhil, and Ankur, confirming the horrifying plot that led to Ramesh’s murder.

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News Network
October 22,2024

Several Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) schools across India were hit with hoax bomb threats on Tuesday, just days after an explosion occurred near a CRPF school in Delhi. The threats, sent via email late Monday night, targeted schools in Delhi and Hyderabad, according to sources.

Earlier this week, a bomb exploded outside a CRPF school in Delhi’s Rohini area, causing significant damage to nearby vehicles and property. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported.

In response to the blast, Delhi Police confiscated CCTV footage from nearby markets as part of their investigation. Sources indicate that surveillance footage captured a suspect at the scene, wearing a white T-shirt, displaying suspicious behavior the night before the explosion.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the explosive device had been hidden in a polythene bag, buried in a shallow pit, and covered with garbage. The blast caused a hole in the school's boundary wall and shattered the window panes and signboards of nearby shops.

Following the incident, the Delhi Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Section 3 of the Indian Explosives Act, and other relevant sections.

The FIR states, "A case of an explosion caused by an unknown explosive substance has been registered, and the investigation continues." It also details the damage, noting that the blast left a hole in the boundary wall and affected nearby structures.

The targeted schools serve children from CRPF and other paramilitary families, and the recent threats have heightened concerns. In response, Delhi authorities have placed the city on high alert, ramping up security measures, especially in markets, ahead of the Diwali festival. 

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