The Delhi High Court on Wednesday called for a response from the Delhi Police regarding a bail application filed by former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain in the larger conspiracy case connected to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots.
A division bench comprising Justices Neena Bansal Krishna and Madhu Jain issued a notice on the plea and scheduled the next hearing for July 14. Additional Solicitor General S V Raju represented the Delhi Police, while senior advocate Rajiv Mohan appeared on behalf of Hussain.
Hussain approached the High Court challenging a trial court order from January 29 that rejected his bail application. In dismissing the plea, the trial court noted that a similar request had been turned down in 2024 after finding that the allegations against Hussain appeared prima facie true, thereby attracting the bar on granting bail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The court also highlighted that while the Supreme Court granted bail to five co-accused individuals, it denied relief to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, who were named as key conspirators in the alleged conspiracy behind the riots.
In his appeal before the High Court, Hussain argued that he was entitled to bail on the ground of parity. The plea stated that the Supreme Court had granted bail to five co-accused and that his role was on a lower footing compared to those who had already secured release. Hussain further contended that he had been in custody for over six years and that there was no likelihood of the trial concluding in the near future, which warranted his release on bail.
According to the Delhi Police chargesheet, Hussain was part of a larger group involved in organizing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the capital. Police alleged that crates containing glass bottles filled with liquid and stuffed with cloth pieces, purportedly meant for use as Molotov cocktails, along with a large quantity of bricks and stones and three catapults, were recovered from his residence.
The 2020 violence erupted during protests against the CAA, resulting in 53 deaths and more than 700 injuries. Hussain, along with others, was booked under stringent provisions of the UAPA.
About the Author: Koushiki Saha is a trainee journalist currently reporting for The Times of India, covering urban governance, infrastructure lapses, public grievances, and municipal policies with clarity and compassion. Still learning every day, she draws insights from fieldwork, lived experiences, and holding authorities accountable through persistent, people-focused reporting.
