Aurangabad, March 10: A total of 127 citizens from across the country who had gathered for an educational programme in Surat in Gujarat in 2001 and been booked for alleged links with the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), have been acquitted by the Supreme Court (SC) recently. These citizens had remained in jail for one and half years and were later released on the bail.
Addressing a press conference here today, president of the Muslim Numainda Council, Aurangabad Ziauddin Siddiqui said that these citizens fought legal battle for 20 years and were finally absolved of charges.
Siddiqui said Akhil Bharatiya Alpasankhyank Board had organised a meeting in Surat on December 28, 2001. Gujarat police raided the meeting and arrested 127 citizens. Claiming that they were connected to SIMI, the citizens were accused of indulging in terrorism. A high court bench granted them bail following which they were released from a jail in Surat. For nearly five yeas, they had to remain present in court every month. Citizens out of Gujarat were exempted from attending the hearing. The police could not prove in the court that all citizens were related to SIMI after which they were acquitted.
Welcoming the court decision, Siddiqui recounted the difficulties encountered by them in the last 20 years and mentioned that seven citizens died during the long legal battle. Abdul Razzaq Memon from Jalna was also present during the press conference.