Madhya Pradesh court acquits four men accused of bank robbery, SIMI links

A local court on Monday acquitted four suspected activists of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) in a bank robbery case. Additional sessions judge BS Bhadoria acquitted Mohammad Sajid, Mohammad Sadiq, Abu Faisal Khan and Mohammad Iqrar on the ground that prosecution failed to prove that they were involved in the robbery attempt, and it also did not submit any documentary evidence to link them with SIMI.

The court declared two others, Mohammad Aslam and Aizazuddin, wanted in the same case, as absconding accused. Sajid and others were arrested in connection with an unsuccessful robbery attempt at Punjab National Bank's branch at Jaora in Ratlam district.

The case was initially tried in Ratlam court but later transferred here in view of its sensitive nature. While Abu Faisal is lodged in Tihar jail in Delhi in connection with another case, the other three are in prisons in the state in connection with several other pending cases.