Accusations against Tahir Hussain, others in 2020 Delhi riots case prima facie valid, police tell court

The Delhi police on Wednesday (January 28, 2026) told a city court that accusations against former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain, Salim Malik and Athar Khan regarding their involvement in the “larger conspiracy” behind the 2020 Delhi riots were prima facie valid.

The communal violence in north-east Delhi in February 2020 left over 50 dead and several injured.

The police made the submission before Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma Courts, which was hearing bail pleas of the three accused who sought release from jail on grounds of parity after the Supreme Court granted bail to five other accused in the same case earlier this month.

The police opposed the bail applications citing the denial of relief to the accused persons in the past by multiple courts.

The court could pronounce the bail order on Thursday (January 29, 2026).

This pertains to the case registered by Delhi Police Special Cell in the alleged larger conspiracy behind the riots, in which 18 people have been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, among other charges. These include 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 and Natasha Narwal.

On January 5, the Supreme Court granted bail to Ms. Fatima, Mr. Haider, Mr. Rehman, Mr. Khan and Mr. Shadab Ahmad while denying relief to student activists Mr. Khalid and Mr. Imam, stating that all the accused in the case did not stand on the same footing.

Of the 18 accused, seven are still in prison.