Students' Islamic Movement of India 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 in Indore.
Special Additional Sessions Judge B K Paloda pronounced all the 11 SIMI activists guilty under IPC sections 124(A) (sedition) and 153 (A)(promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) and also under the 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 judgement 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."
The prosecution has produced 27 witnesses as evidence to prove crime against the SIMI activists.
Appealing to the court to award maximum sentence to them, the prosecution argued that the banned SIMI activists have deliberately involved in acts against the government and have spread hatred on the basis of religion.
To fulfill their aims, they have distributed objectionable material, collected arms and explosives and imparted terror-training to the youths and also incited them against the country, the prosecution informed the court.
It also stated that during probe their relations with other terror outfits too were established. They don't consider Kashmir as an integral part of India and such literature was also seized from their possession which mentioned about "waging a war" against the country, the prosecution contended.
Government advocate Vimal Mishra told reporters that apart from Munroz, the other 10 accused are lodged in Ahmedabad's Sabarmati jail.
During last hearing, they had appealed to the court that they should not be brought to Indore during the pronouncement of the judgement and that they should be informed about the order through video-conferencing facility. Their plea was accepted by the court.
Mishra said Munroz was on bail since a long time. He appeared in the court during the pronouncement of the judgement today. After being pronounced guilty, he was taken to the Indore Centre Jail from the court.
The 11 SIMI activists were arrested from Indore on the intervening night of May 26-27, 2008.
On their information, a large cache of explosive material including gelatin rods, detonator, CD, pen-drive, inflammatory audio-video and literature, pistol, country-made revolvers and live cartridges were also recovered.
IMAGE: SIMI chief Safdar Nagori.
