The Delhi Police have arrested a member of the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) who was on the run for the last 22 years.

The man, identified as Hanif, also known by aliases like Hanif Sheikh and Hanif Hudai, had been a fugitive for over two decades. He was implicated and declared a Proclaimed Offender (PO) in a case filed under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and sedition charges in the year 2001 in New Friends Colony in the national capital. A trial court declared him a PO in 2002.

The police said on Sunday that the banned outfit member was also the editor of a magazine and allegedly indoctrinated many gullible youths belonging to the Muslim community in the past 25 years.

Hanif played an important role within SIMI, including organising and participating in meetings in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka, and Kerala. Police and other law enforcement agencies made several attempts to apprehend him but he dodged them each time and made good his escape.

On February 22, a team of the Delhi Police Special Cell received crucial inputs on the absconding SIMI member’s whereabouts. The police learnt that he had been working undercover as an Urdu teacher in a school located in Bhusawal, Maharashtra. Subsequently, a police team was deployed in the area, leading to his eventual arrest.

When the Delhi Police team zeroed in on Hanif near Asha Tower, Khadka Road, Bhusawal on February 22, he attempted to flee but was subdued following a scuffle with the police. Subsequently, he was arrested and charged under relevant sections of the law pertaining to his previous case.

Hanif, 47, resided in Datta Nagar, Khadka Road, Bhusawal, Jalgaon district, Maharashtra.

The Southern Range Special Cell team of the Delhi Police collaborated with law enforcement agencies across various states, including NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, to locate and apprehend Hanif after his 22-year evasion.

In 2001, the police conducted a raid on SIMI headquarters in Jamia Nagar, Delhi, and arrested many of its members while they were attending a press conference organised by the outfit. However, Hanif and several others managed to escape.

Police seized incriminating materials such as literature, audio and video clips, posters, and photo albums from the SIMI headquarters.

Police said they are currently verifying Hanif’s involvement in nefarious activities and will take him to various places during the investigation to ascertain his role in different activities. Further interrogation of the accused is underway.