Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councilor Tahir Hussain, accused in several cases related to the February 2020 riots, can file his nomination papers from jail itself. This information was given to the Delhi High Court on Monday.
Responding on behalf of the police to Hussain’s plea seeking interim bail in a riot-related murder case, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma said there were several instances when prisoners had completed the process of filing nomination for elections from jail itself. of. The law officer said, “The most recent example is that of Amritpal Singh.”
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna also orally said that Hussain can file nomination papers while sitting in jail. The counsel appearing for the accused replied that he has been selected by a national party and apart from filing nomination papers, he also has to campaign and declare his assets. He said that last year Rashid Engineer was granted interim bail by the lower court to contest the Lok Sabha elections.
It was also emphasized that Hussain has been in custody since March 2020 and in two other riot cases he has requested relief from interim bail from the respective courts, the proceedings on which are ongoing. The court listed the matter for further hearing on Tuesday.
Hussain had moved the court last week seeking interim bail from January 14 to February 9 to contest the assembly elections from Delhi’s Mustafabad constituency on an AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) ticket. He has requested relief for filing nomination papers, opening bank accounts and campaigning.
The application, filed by advocate Tara Narula, was part of Hussain’s pending bail plea in the case. On February 24, 2020, violence had erupted in North East Delhi, leaving 53 people dead and several injured.
According to the prosecution, on February 26, 2020, complainant Ravindra Kumar informed Dayalpur police station that his son Ankit Sharma was missing since February 25, 2020. Ankit Sharma was posted in the Intelligence Bureau.
It is alleged that Sharma’s body was recovered from Khajuri Khas drain in the riot-affected area and there were 51 injury marks on his body. Hussain said in his bail plea that he had spent four years and nine months in jail. The bail plea states that the trial in the case has begun, but so far only 20 of the 114 prosecution witnesses have been examined.
Hussain said that he has been in jail for a long time and since many witnesses are yet to be examined, the trial will not end soon. Hussain’s petition states that the High Court has granted bail to several co-accused who were part of the rioting crowd and committed the crime of murder.
