Delhi Riots Accused Tahir Hussain Seeks Permission To Campaign In Police Custody

Tahir Hussain, a former councillor and an accused in the February 2020 Delhi riots, requested the Supreme Court on Tuesday for permission to campaign in custody for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.

Represented by senior advocate Siddharth Aggarwal, Hussain urged the bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Karol, and Sandeep Mehta to allow him to engage with voters under police supervision, citing the limited time left for campaigning.

“Only four or five days remain for campaigning. The place where my house is alleged to have been involved in the riots is in the Mustafabad constituency, where I am contesting. I am willing to stay in a hotel instead of my house and provide all necessary details,” Aggarwal argued.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju opposed the plea, stressing the gravity of the allegations against Hussain. Raju remarked, “If such relief is granted, it might set a precedent where anyone in jail could file a nomination and demand similar concessions.”

The court directed Raju to seek instructions regarding the security measures and costs involved in facilitating Hussain’s request. It also asked Hussain’s counsel to specify the undertakings he would provide in return for being allowed to campaign.

The Supreme Court is expected to deliver its order on the matter later in the day.

Hussain had earlier sought interim bail on January 22, but the Supreme Court bench hearing the plea delivered a split verdict. On January 14, however, the Delhi High Court granted him custody parole to file his nomination papers for the Mustafabad seat, where he is contesting on an All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) ticket.

The 2020 Delhi riots, which erupted in northeast Delhi on February 24, resulted in the deaths of 53 people and left many injured. Hussain is among the accused in a high-profile case involving the death of Intelligence Bureau staffer Ankit Sharma.

According to the prosecution, Sharma was reported missing on February 25 by his father, Ravinder Kumar, at the Dayalpur police station. The following day, Sharma’s body was recovered from a drain in the riot-hit Khajuri Khas area, bearing 51 injury marks, indicating severe violence.

The case remains one of the most significant legal proceedings linked to the Delhi riots, with Hussain’s candidacy adding a layer of political controversy to the ongoing trial.

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