The ban imposed on Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) was upheld by the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal today.

The Central Government, which had issued a notification this year, had banned SIMI for the third time considering the ‘‘sufficient cause of action’’.

The organisation, with its tentacles spread across the globe from Bangladesh to Riyadh and Chicago, was first banned and declared unlawful in 2001 and then in 2003.

The judgement, which upheld the Centre’s contentions that SIMI had managed to keep its network alive through clandestine activities and was regrouping cadres and reviving the organisation, followed elaborate arguments by the Centre and counter-arguments by SIMI before the Tribunal, headed by Delhi High Court judge Justice B.N. Chaturvedi, refused to part with the judgement on the ground that the decision would be conveyed to the Government, which will then notify it.