Delhi violence: Tahir Hussain named in two fresh charge sheets

Delhi police on Friday filed two more charge sheets in cases related to the February riots in northeast Delhi. In both, the police charged suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain along with other accused.

The two charge sheets were filed in two separate incidents of violence during the riots -- the first, related to arson and rioting at a parking lot in Chand Bagh, in which at least a hundred vehicles were set on fire; and the second, arson and robbery at a godown of essential goods in Karawal Nagar.

According to a senior police officer who asked not to be named, in the two charge sheets, police have charged Hussain, his younger brother Shah Alam and at least 10 others for rioting, being armed with deadly weapons, dacoity, mischief by fire or explosive substance, unlawful assembly and criminal conspiracy .

“Both incidents took place on February 24 and two separate FIRs were registered on February 27. In the first case it has been established in the charge sheet based on electronic evidences and on the statements of the eye witnesses that Tahir Hussain led a mob into a godown of essential commodities in Karawal Nagar and set it afire. The owner of the godown claimed a loss of worth Rs 25-30 lakhs. Tahir Hussain and five others were later arrested for the offence,” the officer added.

In the second incident, the charge sheet mentions that Hussain and his younger brother Shah Alam along with eight others, reached Pradeep Parking Lot and broke open its shutters. “They reached the first floor and robbed the people who were present there of their money and valuables. There were food preparations going on in there for a marriage function. Hussain and others destroyed the food prepared and then threw petrol bombs into the parking area where several vehicles were parked at the time. All the vehicles parked in Pradeep Parking lot were gutted,” the officer said.

Both the incidents pertain to the jurisdiction of Khajuri Khas police station.

At least 53 people died and 400 were injured in the rioting that started as clashes between supporters and opponents of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, or CAA. So far Delhi police have filed over 88 charge sheets in different cases related to the northeast Delhi riots, including three against Hussain (one of which accuses him of planning the murder of IB staffer Ankit Sharma).

Hussain had earlier denied the charges and said that police were framing him. Before being arrested, he told reporters that he was a victim of the northeast riots himself and was rescued from his house in Chand Bagh. Police have however denied this and claim he was part of the conspiracy to start the riots in the area.

Hussain’s lawyer Javed Ali said all the FIRs registered against his client were false and politically instigated.

“ All FIRs against my client have been registered are false, malafide and politically instigated. Also multiple FIRs for the same cause is not permissible in the eyes of law. All the contents of this particular FIR are already a part of another FIR where my client has been charge sheeted for hatching a conspiracy and instigating the riots,” he said.