Lack of proof has SIMI chief aquitted of sedition charge

A sessions court today acquitted the all India president of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) Shahid Badr in a sedition case after the prosecution failed to prove the charges levelled against him. Badr was facing charges under Section 124 A for his alleged inflamatory speeches and print material that was circulated.

In February 2000, the Union Home Ministry had received a calendar depicting India’s map which wrongly marked the northern boundaries of J-K. The police alleged that it carried SIMI’s name and hence Badr had a hand in it. They also alleged that he had made speeches demanding Kashmir’s liberation from India. He had allegedly made this speech in Batala house in August 2001. Also, at the time of his speech some printed material of similar nature was also circulated.

Though the first incident took place in February 2000, he was arrested in September 2001 when SIMI was declared a banned organisation. The police had arrested him under section 124 A (sedition charges) — a non-bailable offence. In today’s hearing the prosecution could not establish that he had any links with the calendar received by the Home Ministry as Badr was not SIMI president then. He became the chief in March 2000; the incident took place a month earlier.