Hearing is going on in the Supreme Court on the interim bail plea of AIMIM candidate and Delhi riots accused Tahir Hussain for campaigning in Delhi Assembly Election. During the hearing of this case, Tahir’s lawyer Siddharth Aggarwal said that Tahir has been kept away from his constituency for the last 4 years. Tahir has been in continuous custody since March 2020. On which Justice Pankaj Mithal said that there is also a case of murder in which a government official was killed…it is not just about riots.
What did the court say in the last hearing
- Former councilor and Delhi riots accused Tahir Hussain has sought interim bail to campaign in the Delhi Assembly elections.
- While hearing the case on Tuesday, the Supreme Court had asked Delhi Police to respond to Tahir Hussain’s petition.
- The bench of Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah had asked the Delhi Police lawyer to come prepared and argue the case in the next hearing.
- The court had said, suppose we agree that Tahir can get regular bail, then why don’t we at least grant interim bail?
- The court had asked that if we are satisfied at this stage that some case is made out, then why not interim bail? He has been in jail for 4 years and 10 months. He is only an instigator and the charge of instigation is the same in the nine cases in which he has been granted bail. You can’t close your eyes to this.
- Senior advocate Siddharth Aggarwal, appearing for Hussain, had said that the former councilor has been in custody for 4 years and 10 months and the only charge against him is instigating the mob during the 2020 Delhi riots.
- An FIR has been registered against Tahir Hussain in 11 cases and he has been granted bail in nine cases. Tahir was arrested on March 16, 2020.
- Charges were framed after three years of Hussain’s detention and the prosecution presented 115 witnesses, of whom only 22 were examined.
- On January 14, Delhi High Court had granted custodial parole to Hussain to file nomination papers from Mustafabad constituency on AIMIM ticket.
- However, the High Court had rejected Hussain’s request for interim bail from January 14 to February 9 to contest the elections.
- The Supreme Court on Monday commented on the bail plea of Delhi riots accused former councilor Tahir Hussain that all such persons should be barred from contesting elections and postponed the hearing on the application till January 21.
Hussain has sought interim bail to campaign in the Delhi Assembly elections. A bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Ahsanuddin Amanullah had adjourned the hearing due to paucity of time, but as the bench started rising, Hussain’s lawyer mentioned the matter and requested for hearing on January 21. The bench commented in reply. That, “It is easy to win elections by sitting in jail, all such persons should be barred from contesting elections.” His lawyer said that Hussain’s nomination has been accepted.
Parole was granted after nomination
On January 14, Delhi High Court had granted custodial parole to Hussain for filing nomination papers from Mustafabad constituency on AIMIM ticket. However, the court had rejected his plea for interim bail from January 14 to February 9 to contest the elections, saying the seriousness of the allegations against Hussain could not be ignored as he was the prime accused in the violence. As a result many people died.
The high court had said that around 11 FIRs were registered against him in connection with the riots and he is in custody in a related money laundering case and UAPA case. In February 2020, violence broke out in North-East Delhi, in which 53 people were killed and many were injured.
What has been the trend of Muslim votes?
In the year 2013, Congress Party had won 6 out of 11 Muslim dominated seats. Since 2015, the Muslim vote bank completely slipped from the hands of Congress. As it is said, the figures indicate that the Muslim community votes for only those who can defeat the BJP. In the 2020 elections, Aam Aadmi Party won 9 seats and Congress did not get even a single seat.
What equations will change due to Delhi riots?
It remains to be seen how much the Muslim community will be able to trust you after the riots in 2020 and the statements of AAP leaders. Congress was able to win 9 seats in the MCD elections held in 2022. Out of which 7 Muslim candidates have won. If we talk about Muslim dominated wards in MCD, out of total 23 such seats, AAP won 9, BJP won 8 and Congress won 5 and independents won 1.
