Delhi: A Delhi High Court tribunal has upheld the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir, affirming its designation as an unlawful association due to its involvement in activities deemed detrimental to internal security in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the Indian court identified the organization’s actions as prejudicial to public order and capable of undermining national unity. The Indian home ministry previously declared Jamaat-e-Islami an outlawed entity, citing 47 registered cases against it, including an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) related to fundraising and support for pro-freedom activities.

The NIA’s investigation involved members of Jamaat-e-Islami, including Ameer Mohammad Shamsi, the chief executive of Al-Huda Educational Trust (AHET). The NIA alleged that Shamsi and others continued to receive funds through AHET, even after the organization was banned in February 2019. AHET was established by Jamaat-e-Islami leadership, who also serve as its trustees.

The home ministry’s assertions included claims that Jamaat-e-Islami maintains connections with pro-resistance groups and actively supports the freedom movement in Jammu and Kashmir and beyond. It further accused the organization of engaging in activities intended to incite disaffection against India.

Justice Navin Chawla, presiding over the tribunal, concluded that there is substantial reason to classify Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir as an unlawful association based on the notification issued on February 27. The Bharatiya Janata Party government had initially imposed a five-year ban on Jamaat-e-Islami IIOJK on February 28, 2019, which was later extended for another five years on February 28, 2024.