The Supreme Court on Thursday further extended the ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India till the second week of October.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam extended the ban when Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium mentioned the matter before the court, seeking more time to file fresh affidavit in the case.

The government's case against SIMI

Justice Geeta Mittal of the Delhi [Images] High Court had lifted the ban on August 5 on the grounds that the evidence against the outfit was too weak to justify the extension of ban under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for allegedly indulging in terrorist and anti-national activities.

The apex court had, however, stayed the operation of the order of the special tribunal of the High Court lifting the ban, on August 6.

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The government, in its fresh affidavit filed in August, had contended that around 1,900 SIMI [Images] activists were presently in prisons across the country with 89 cases registered against them.

The Union Home Ministry had extended the ban on SIMI by two years by a notification dated February 7, 2008.

Investigators say Indian Mujahideen is SIMI, V2.0

According to the government, SIMI has close links with international and national terrorist outfits and extremists such as al Qaeda and Dawood Abrahim.

The case was earlier listed for hearing on September 24. Its next hearing will be held in the second week of October. 

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