The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a response from the Delhi Police on a bail application filed by former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain in connection with the larger conspiracy case arising out of the 2020 North-East Delhi riots.
The Division Bench of Justice Neena Bansal Krishna and Justice Madhu Jain also issued notice on Hussain’s application seeking condonation of a delay of 67 days in filing the appeal against the trial court’s order. The matter has been directed to be listed before the roster bench on July 14 for further consideration.
Hussain has challenged the January 29 order of the trial court rejecting his regular bail application. While refusing relief, the Special Court had noted that Hussain had earlier been denied bail in 2024 and that the allegations against him were found to be prima facie true at that stage of the proceedings.
The trial court had also taken note of developments in connected proceedings, observing that the Supreme Court had granted bail to several co-accused, including Mohd. Saleem Khan, Gulfisha Fatima, Shadab Ahmad, Shifa-Ur-Rehman and Meeran Haider. However, bail had been declined to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam after they were alleged to be among the principal conspirators in the case.
The larger conspiracy case relates to the communal violence that took place in North-East Delhi in February 2020. The accused persons are facing prosecution under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code as well as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). According to the prosecution, the accused were involved in planning and orchestrating a wider conspiracy behind the riots that erupted during the period of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
Apart from Hussain, the list of accused includes Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Ishrat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Athar Khan, Safoora Zargar, Sharjeel Imam, Faizan Khan, Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal. Several of the accused have secured bail at different stages of the proceedings, while the prosecution against them continues.
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