A Nagpur court has acquitted eight Muslim men who were booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act over 18 years ago for alleged links with the banned Students Islamic Movement of India, The Indian Express reported.

The men who were cleared in the case were Shakil Warsi, Shakir Ahmed Nasir Ahmed, Mohammad Rehan Atullakhan, Jiyaur Rahman Maheboob Khan, Wakar Baig Yusuf Baig, Imtiyaj Ahmed Nisar Ahmed, Mohammad Abrar Arif Mohammad Kashim and Sheikh Ahmad Sheikh. The order was passed on August 13, and was made public on Friday.

The eight men had been booked for being members of an unlawful association (Section 10) and for unlawful activities (Section 13) under the Act. They were on bail while the trial was pending, The Indian Express reported.

The police had booked the men in 2006, alleging that they had confidential information that they were involved in the activities of the Students Islamic Movement of India. However, judicial magistrate AK Bankar said in her order that there was no evidence of the accused persons having participated in meetings, engaged in propaganda or provided financial support to the Students Islamic Movement of India.

“Mere possession of literature or documents allegedly connected to unlawful association without proof of active intent or participation, does not meet the threshold laid down in the law,” the court said, according to The Indian Express.

The judge said that on a perusal of the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses, none of them had “made a whisper” about the offences alleged by the police.

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