Delhi Court Discharges Accused in SIMI and IM Revival Case

Two individuals accused of conspiring to revive the banned SIMI and Indian Mujahideen have been discharged by a Delhi court. The court found insufficient evidence to support the charges against Abdul Subhan Qureshi and Ariz Khan, leading to their immediate release from custody.

In a significant legal development, a Delhi court has acquitted two men accused of plotting to rejuvenate the outlawed Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and Indian Mujahideen (IM). The court cited a lack of substantial evidence against the accused.

Additional Sessions Judge Amit Bansal highlighted insufficiencies in the case, stating that reliance on inadmissible confessional statements without factual recovery undermined the prosecution's case. Charges against Abdul Subhan Qureshi and Ariz Khan, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and criminal conspiracy, were dismissed.

The court ordered their immediate release, criticizing the prosecution's dependence on prior allegations and unproven charges. The case began with intelligence reports about international meetings aimed at reviving sleeper cells in India post the 2014 Bijnor blast.

(With inputs from agencies.)