New Delhi (PTI): Citing Ahmedabad serial blasts to buttress its stand, the Centre on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court seeking a ban on Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

“Investigation (in Ahmedabad blasts case) has revealed that the accused persons are members of SIMI. And some accused in this case have also been arrested in 2001 in Surat under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,” the Centre said in its fresh affidavit filed before a Bench headed by Justice B N Agrawal.

“The said information has been made available recently by Gujarat government to the Centre,” the affidavit filed by the Ministry of Home Affairs stated.

A day after it was clarified by the apex court that the matter relating to SIMI will be taken up for hearing on August 25, the affidavit filed through Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramnium said investigations into the serial blasts in Mumbai local trains in 2006 established the role of the banned outfit.

Investigations into the blast cases in the last couple of years in Maharashtra and Karnataka allegedly involving members of SIMI have thrown up sufficient evidence to justify continuation of the ban on the organisation, it daid.

The government, which had secured a stay on the order of a special tribunal lifting ban on SIMI, contended that if the unlawful activities of the organisation were not controlled immediately, it would continue with its subversive activities.

“If SIMI is not banned it would reorganise its activists/members who are still absconding, disrupt the secular fabric of the country by polluting the minds of the people by creating communal disharmony and propagate anti-national sentiments,” the Centre said in its affidavit.

Source: hindu