The bail application of the suspended Aam Aadmi Party councillor, Tahir Hussain, accused in the murder of IB staffer Ankit Sharma and for his involvement in the gruesome Delhi riots that claimed the lives of over 50 people and left hundreds injured, has been rejected by the Delhi Court today.
The Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Yadav had made various observations while rejecting the bail application of the AAP leader, who has been in judicial custody since March. Hussain had sought bail on the grounds that there is no cogent evidence to connect him to the alleged murder of Sharma.
Tahir Hussain exhorted the rioters of a particular community
Turning down Tahir Hussain’s plea the Delhi court confirmed that there was enough material on record to presume that the applicant was present at the spot of crime and was exhorting the rioters of a particular community.
The suspended AAP leader used rioters as “human weapons”
It said that “he did not use his hands and fists, but rioters as “human weapons”, who on his instigation could have killed anybody.”
Possibility of the witnesses being threatened by Tahir Hussain
The Court furthered that the witnesses in the cases are residents of the same locality and there were possibilities of the witnesses being threatened by Hussain if he was released on bail, as Hussain was a powerful person. “The witnesses in the cases are residents of the same locality as Hussain and can easily be threatened by a powerful person like him”, observed the court rejecting the AAP councillors bail application.
Enough ocular evidence available against Hussain
The court accepted the arguments given by the witnesses who said Hussain was present at the place where the incident took place and it was on his instigation that the rioters had killed Sharma. Accepting the argument, the court said that the absence of CCTV footage “does not hold water in the teeth of the statements of eyewitnesses on record”.
“Even if there is no video footage or CCTV footage, showing the presence of the applicant at the spot, but there is enough ocular evidence available on record,” the judge observed.
Prima facie involvement of Tahir Hussain in the deep-rooted conspiracy
The Delhi Court had said that the Delhi Riots were the result of a deep-rooted conspiracy and was carried out in an organised manner. There seems to be a prima facie involvement of AAP councillor Tahir Hussain in the deep-rooted conspiracy, furthered the court.
Tahir Hussain and his connection with Pinjra Tod and others in question
Saying this, the Delhi Court also observed that the role of Hussain is also being investigated and his connection to other members of Pinjra Tod, Jamia Co-ordination Committee, United Against Hate group etc are being probed.
Tahir Hussain, the Aam Admi Party (AAP) councillor was involved in the organisation and execution of the Delhi Riots. In the chargesheets filed by the Delhi Police and the Special Cell, it is revealed that Tahir Hussain met Umar Khalid and Khalid Saifi of ‘India Against Hate’ group and hatched a plan for the Delhi riots way back on the 8th of January. This meeting was held at Shaheen Bagh where the anti-CAA protests were taking place.
The chargesheets also say that Tahir Hussain got money to organise these riots from several quarters in shell companies. In another disclosure, it was reported that Khalid Saifi had even travelled to Malaysia to meet Islamist Zakir Naik to collect funds for the Delhi Riots.
In his disclosure statement, Tahir Hussain details how he organised the riots to take revenge against Hindus and teach ‘Kafirs’ a lesson. He further spoke about making PCR calls in between the riots to ensure that he had a solid alibi. Further, he also reveals how he had organised for thousands of Muslims to congregate in the Chand Bagh area to carry out the riots.
