AAP ex-councillor Tahir Hussain played pivotal role in NE Delhi riots, claim cops

NEW DELHI: The second chargesheet filed by police on Tuesday alleged that Tahir Hussain, the suspended AAP councillor, played a pivotal role in the northeast Delhi riots. It also claimed that Hussain transferred Rs 1.1 crore to shell companies in the second week of January and later got that amount in cash.
The investigation claimed that Hussain transferred Rs 92 lakh to the accounts of Meenu Fabrication and SP Financial Services, Rs 20 lakh to Show Effect Pvt Ltd and another Rs 20 lakh to Yudhvee Impex. The money was allegedly used in preparations for the riots and distributed among anti-CAA protesters and several others from the locality, who were told to be ready for “big action”.

The chargesheet accessed by TOI mentioned Hussain got his pistol released on February 22 from Khajuri Khas police station, a day before the riots. “He purchased 100 cartridges against his licence, but only 64 cartridges and 20 empty shells were seized. Hussain couldn’t give a satisfactory answer about the 14 remaining cartridges and the 20 spent ones,” police said.
The location of his mobile number matched with two other accused, Khalid Saifi and Umar Khalid, police said, adding that it corroborates with Hussain’s disclosure about their meeting prior to the riots.
All photos and videos recovered after the riots show the destruction caused by the rioters, but Hussain’s house and office were left untouched. Police found 44 vehicles in the parking lot near his house, of which 14 were burnt and 18 damaged. None of the CCTV cameras installed around the house were found functional during the days of the riots. Four DVRs that were seized didn’t have any data between February 23 and 28, the chargesheet stated.
Police also seized crates containing glass bottles filled with liquid and plugged with a cloth. Three large improvised catapults allegedly used to lob Molotov cocktails were also seized.
During the probe, Hussain claimed he had made six calls to the PCR on February 24 between 2.50pm and 6pm and six calls on February 25 between 3.50pm and 4.35pm asking police to rescue him. However, it was found he had made only four calls on February 24 and reported about stonepelting and rioters entering his house forcibly.
Hussain’s supporters, Liyakat Ali and Riyasat Ali, were caught from their houses. They allegedly said they actively participated in the riots in and around Hussain’s house. Riyasat said he burnt cars and also looted money from some houses. Hussain’s stepbrothers, Shah Alam, Mohammad Shadab, Md Abid and Rashid Saifi, arrested later, allegedly joined the violence on his instructions.
Meanwhile, Crime Branch of Delhi Police will file another chargesheet on Wednesday in the murder case of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma and the Rajdhani School violence case. Hussain is also an accused in these riot cases.