Ex-AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain Convicted In Delhi Riots Case

A Delhi court on Saturday convicted former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain of abetment to rioting in a case linked to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots in the Dayalpur area, while acquitting the 12 other accused of all charges.

Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh of the Karkardooma Court convicted Hussain under Section 147 (rioting) read with Section 109 (abetment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The court, however, acquitted him of the remaining charges.

The court fixed November 16 for hearing arguments on the quantum of sentence. The detailed judgment is awaited.

The case arose from a complaint by Irshad Ali, who alleged that his shop was looted and set ablaze on February 24, 2020, during the communal violence. He claimed that goods worth ₹17 lakh to ₹18 lakh were stolen and the property suffered damage estimated at ₹10 lakh.

The 13 accused faced charges including rioting, damage to property, arson and criminal conspiracy. While Hussain was found guilty of abetting rioting, the court cleared the remaining 12 accused of all charges.

In July this year, another Delhi court convicted Hussain and four others in a separate case relating to the killing of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma during the riots. Hussain was found guilty of murder, rioting, promoting enmity and other offences.

Hussain was expelled from the AAP in February 2020 after his name surfaced in connection with the riots. He later joined the AIMIM and unsuccessfully contested the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections on the party's ticket.

The communal riots that erupted in northeast Delhi in February 2020 left 53 people dead, several injured and caused extensive damage to property.