Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Jan 13: The Delhi Police on Monday opposed an interim bail plea filed by 2020 Delhi riots accused Tahir Hussain, who sought permission from the Delhi High Court to file nomination papers for the upcoming Assembly elections. Hussain, a former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor, has been fielded as a candidate by the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) from the Mustafabad constituency.
Arguing against the plea, the Delhi Police’s counsel submitted before Justice Neena Bansal Krishna’s bench that Tahir Hussain could file his nomination papers from Tihar jail without requiring interim bail. Hussain’s counsel countered, asserting that physical presence was necessary for filing nominations and disclosing accurate details of assets. The defense also referenced a precedent where interim bail was granted to Engineer Rashid, an accused in a terror funding case investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The bench, however, remarked that filing a nomination from jail is permissible under the law and deferred the hearing on Hussain’s interim bail plea to Tuesday. The court is also slated to address his request for regular bail on the same day.
The controversy surrounding Tahir Hussain’s candidacy has drawn sharp criticism, particularly from the Delhi BJP, which accused AIMIM of provoking communal unrest by fielding him. BJP State Vice President Kapil Mishra labeled the move an attempt to disrupt peace in the capital, warning against any efforts to incite riots. “This is reminiscent of the Shaheen Bagh protests staged before the previous elections. If violence erupts this time in the name of Tahir Hussain, there will be consequences,” Mishra cautioned.
Responding to the BJP’s allegations, AIMIM spokesperson Waris Pathan defended the party’s decision to field Hussain, emphasizing his status as an undertrial. Pathan highlighted what he described as the BJP’s hypocrisy, pointing to Pragya Singh Thakur’s nomination despite being an accused in the Malegaon blast case. “People in glass houses should not throw stones. Tahir Hussain and Shafaur Rahman are innocent until proven guilty. What will the critics say when they are acquitted?” Pathan argued.
Tahir Hussain has been a contentious figure since the 2020 North-East Delhi riots, where he was accused in multiple cases, including the murder of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma. On December 24, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the city police regarding Hussain’s bail plea in connection with Sharma’s murder case, directing a status report to be filed before the next hearing scheduled for January 14.
As the election campaign intensifies, the debate over Hussain’s candidacy underscores the charged political and communal atmosphere surrounding the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls.