Tahir Hussain sentenced to two years in jail for abetting Delhi riots

A Delhi court has sentenced former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain to two years of rigorous imprisonment for abetting rioting during the February 2020 North-East Delhi riots. Additional Sessions Judge Parveen Singh of the Karkardooma Courts found Hussain guilty of facilitating violence by allowing rioters to use his house, which served as a high point in the locality, to attack people and damage property.

The court noted that as an elected representative at the time, Hussain had a responsibility to maintain peace and harmony rather than facilitate unlawful conduct. The judge emphasized that his position as a leader was an aggravating circumstance, stating that he should have acted as a restraining influence. The court further rejected arguments for leniency based on his lack of physical participation in the mob, noting that providing guidance or facilities is as culpable as direct action.

This marks Hussain’s second conviction related to the 2020 riots; he is already serving a life sentence for the murder of Intelligence Bureau employee Ankit Sharma. The 2020 violence in North-East Delhi resulted in over 53 deaths and extensive property damage.