Ex SIMI president Shahid appears in Gujarat court, asked to remain present before IO

Bhuj: A local court here on Friday refused to hand over the police custody of ex president of the banned outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) Shahid Badar Falahi but ordered him to remain present before the Investigating police officer of an around 19 year old case on three consecutive days from tomorrow.

Falahi was earlier arrested on September from his native village Manchobha in Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh in connection with a case pertaining to clash with police during his meeting in A-division area here in April 2001 (Then SIMI was not banned). He was made an accused in the case lodged under sections 353 (obstructing the public servant in his duty), 142 and 147 (pertaining to unlawful assembling and rioting). An arrest warrant against him was issued by the local court in October 2012. On the basis of it the Bhuj police had after almost seven years nabbed him on September 5 last. He was then produced before a court there which granted him bail but ordered him to remain present in Bhuj court today ie., September 13.

Today the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate here rejected the plea of the police remand of him but ordered him to remain present before the investigating officer from 11 am to 5 pm.

The advocated of former SIMI leader had argued before the court that the case was 19 years old and his client was granted bail by the Azamgarh court. He had obeyed the court order and appeared in the court here today.

Notably, the Bhuj police has in a separate petition challenged the bail granted to him by the Azamgarh court.

SIMI was first banned after 9/11 incident and later after brief relief it was again banned by the supreme court in 2008.

DeshGujarat