A Delhi court has acquitted two men, Abdul Subhan Qureshi and Ariz Khan, in a case alleging a conspiracy to revive the banned terrorist organisations Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and Indian Mujahideen (IM). The court found no admissible evidence to support charges of plotting against India's sovereignty and security.
Court Cites Lack of Evidence for Charges
In an order passed on December 20, 2025, Additional Sessions Judge Amit Bansal of the Patiala House Courts observed there was insufficient ground to frame charges against the accused. The court stated that the chargesheet contained no material to suggest the two had conspired to revive the outlawed groups or were members of them.
The case was registered in 2014 under Section 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. It was based on information received after an accidental blast in Bijnor on September 12, 2014, suggesting suspects were planning terrorist activities in Delhi and adjoining areas.
Key Reasons Behind the Acquittal
The court's decision hinged on the inadmissibility of key prosecution evidence. The judge noted that the disclosure or confessional statements made by the accused to the police were not permissible as evidence because no facts were discovered based on that information.
Furthermore, the prosecution relied heavily on a list of other cases and charge sheets against Qureshi and Khan. The court ruled that this did not create a "grave suspicion" of their involvement in the specific conspiracy alleged in this case. The judge emphasized that "no separate incident apart from the FIRs wherein the accused persons are facing trial has been investigated in the present case."
Background of the Accused and the Case
Abdul Subhan Qureshi, a suspected IM operative, was arrested after a dramatic encounter in East Delhi's Ghazipur area on January 23, 2018. Police reported that 14 rounds of fire were exchanged before he was apprehended. His arrest led to police medals for then DCP Pramod Singh Kushwaha and Inspector Amul Tyagi on Republic Day two years later.
Ariz Khan had been absconding after the 2008 Batla House encounter. The court order directed both men to be released from judicial custody unless required in any other case.
The investigation officer, retired ACP Govind Sharma, had stated in his testimony that the accused were facing trial in other FIRs in different states, but no separate incident was probed in this specific case.
Conclusion and Immediate Effect
Ultimately, the court found "absolutely no admissible material on record" to prove the conspiracy charges. This ruling underscores the legal principle that suspicion, however strong, must be backed by admissible evidence to proceed with a trial. The acquittal brings a legal conclusion to this particular case, though the individuals remain implicated in other ongoing proceedings across the country.
