Supreme Court allows 2020 riots accused Tahir Hussain to campaign for Delhi polls

Imposing several conditions, the top court said Hussain would only be allowed to leave jail along with security during the day time and return each night.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted custody parole to former AAP councillor and February 2020 riots accused Tahir Hussain, contesting Delhi assembly polls on a AIMIM ticket, to campaign. A three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta allowed Hussain’s plea to campaign under police custody from January 29 to February 3.

Imposing several conditions, the top court said Hussain would only be allowed to leave jail along with security during the day time and return each night. The bench said Hussain’s custody parole would be subject to the deposit of Rs 2.47 lakh per day as part of security expenses.

Senior advocate Siddharth Aggarwal, appearing for Hussain, had argued only four-five days were left for campaigning and said, “The place where my house is alleged to have been where the Delhi riots took place. I am fighting from Mustafabad seat and even for staying purposes, I am saying I will not go to the house and will stay in a hotel and provide details.”

Additional solicitor general S V Raju opposed the plea, saying his role in the riots was serious. If granted the relief, said Raju, everybody would fill a nomination form in jail.

The court asked Raju to seek instructions on what expenses and sort of security would be required and told Aggarwal to inform the undertakings Hussain proposed to give.

The order was passed on Hussain’s plea to allow him to campaign in custody for the upcoming Delhi assembly polls. The former councillor failed to secure interim bail on January 22, after a two-judge bench of the apex court gave a split verdict.