A Delhi court on Friday sentenced former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain to two years in prison in a case linked to the February 2020 northeast Delhi riots. The court had earlier found him guilty of facilitating rioters by allowing his house to be used during the violence. While delivering the sentence, the court observed that Hussain was an elected public representative who was expected to help maintain peace and prevent violence. The ruling marks another conviction against the former councillor in cases connected to the riots.

Court Says Public Representative Had a Responsibility to Maintain Peace
The Karkardooma court had convicted Hussain on October 10, while acquitting the other accused in this particular case. According to the court’s observations, the prosecution alleged that Hussain allowed rioters to use his house to facilitate attacks. The court stated that the seriousness of the offence was not diminished merely because the prosecution had not established his direct participation in the acts of violence. It emphasised that providing assistance to those carrying out an offence could also attract criminal responsibility. The case was registered at Dayalpur police station under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 147, 148, 149, 427, 436 and 120B.

Complaints of Looting and Arson Formed Part of the Case
The case originated from a complaint filed by Irshad Ali, who alleged that his shop was looted and set on fire on February 24, 2020. According to his complaint, goods worth approximately Rs 17–18 lakh were stolen, while property damage was estimated at Rs 10 lakh. Another complainant, Mohammed Zahid, alleged that rioters raised slogans in support of Hussain. Two police constables reportedly identified the accused during the investigation. The February 2020 riots in northeast Delhi resulted in 53 deaths and left hundreds of people injured. Hussain has also been sentenced to life imprisonment in a separate case involving the murder of Intelligence Bureau staffer Ankit Sharma. The latest sentence relates to a separate case connected to the same period of violence.