Supreme Court Notices MP Over SIMI Chief's Sedition Appeal Stalemate

The Supreme Court requested the State of Madhya Pradesh to clarify its stance on the stayed sedition law in the case of SIMI Chief Safdar Nagori. Despite completing sentences for terrorism-related charges, his life sentence appeal for sedition awaits decision, halted by an earlier Supreme Court stay.

The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the State of Madhya Pradesh concerning a plea by former Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) Chief, Safdar Nagori. Nagori, convicted under terrorism-related offences including sedition, is seeking clarification on the stalled appeal proceedings against his life sentence under the sedition charge.

Nagori's counsel argued before a vacation bench that, although his client has served sentences for various offences, the appeal on his sedition conviction, which promises a life sentence, is pending. This delay arises from the Supreme Court's earlier suspension of Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code.

In light of these developments, the top court has scheduled a hearing on this matter for the second week of July this year. Previously, a Madhya Pradesh district court handed down life sentences to Nagori and 11 others in 2017 for conspiring 'anti-national' activities and illegal possession of weapons and explosives after their 2008 arrest by a Special Task Force.

(With inputs from agencies.)