E-Paper
Sleuths come across more SIMI friends
INTELLIGENCE SLEUTHS are getting to know SIMI?s network of ?friends?, who have either directly or indirectly supported the radical group financially. According to well-informed sources, names that have surprised the sleuths the most are that of a well-known leather industrialist, a doctor and a gun dealer.
INTELLIGENCE SLEUTHS are getting to know SIMI’s network of ‘friends’, who have either directly or indirectly supported the radical group financially.
According to well-informed sources, names that have surprised the sleuths the most are that of a well-known leather industrialist, a doctor and a gun dealer.
All of them have had hugely contributed to SIMI’s controversial Ikhwan Conference in 1999. It was this conference that provided the very tool to the Centre to ban the outfit for its involvement in anti-national activities in 2001.
The leather industrialist, once quite close to the BJP, had made donations for the conference along with many others of his coterie.
Where as the doctor, who is associated with several charitable bodies, is said to have played a lead role in the surrender of Mohd Aamir. The gun dealer who is actively involved in politics is another important player of this coterie. He’s has a reputation of grabbing the waqf properties and has shady records in gun-dealing.
The names also include two-dozen others, who are known for their closeness with the district administration.
“ Their duplicity is getting exposed. It’s really surprising to see them talking of secularism at every platform,” said a source.
Interestingly, the investigations so far have created quite a flutter among the SIMI friends, who met at a famous restaurant two days back —- to prepare a strategy to scuttle the inquiry. But they have obviously failed to find any ‘sympathisers’, who bluntly refused to help them.
