Delhi Police arrested a 47-year-old suspected member of the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), who has been on the run for over 22 years. Hanif Sheikh, accused of editing a magazine for the outlawed organization, was nabbed on February 22 from Bhusawal in Jalgaon district in Maharashtra where he was a teacher in an Urdu school under a different identity.

He was declared a proclaimed offender in 2002 by a local court and faced charges of sedition and violations of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), stemming from a case filed in 2001 at New Friends Colony police station in Delhi.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Alok Kumar claimed that Hanif was the most notorious and wanted SIMI terrorist who had played pivotal roles in various activities of the proscribed organisation across the country.

Police said Hanif Sheikh, using the pseudonym “Haneef Hudai,” edited the SIMI magazine, complicating efforts to locate him.

A specialized team from the Special Cell was assigned the task of gathering data, information, and digital footprints related to the absconding SIMI cadre, sympathizers, and sleeper cells across different states. This team conducted extensive visits and collected valuable intelligence from various parts of the country, the official said.

The information compiled by the team played a crucial role in enabling the Delhi Police’s Special Cell to narrow down their focus on Hanif Sheikh. Subsequently, a raiding party was assembled, which meticulously laid a trap to apprehend him, Kumar said.

“At approximately 2:50 pm on February 22, during transit from Mohmadin Nagar to Khadka Road, a suspect matching Hanif’s description was identified. When members of the team attempted to corner him, Hanif resisted and attempted to flee. However, after a brief scuffle, he was successfully apprehended,” Kumar said.

The DCP also said that Hanif held a significant position as one of the think tank members of Wahadat-e-Islam, actively participating in operations spanning Maharashtra and neighbouring states. He was also allegedly engaged in fundraising activities, masquerading as donations, to bolster the agendas of both SIMI and Wahadat-e-Islam.

Following his departure from Delhi in 2001, Hanif relocated first to Jalgaon and later to Bhusawal in Maharashtra, where he was eventually apprehended.