Delhi violence toll 53, AAP leader is held for IB staffer killing

Hussain has also been named in the FIR registered in connection with IB staffer Ankit Sharma’s killing during the riots, with police sources saying that evidence was still being collected in the case.

Delhi violence, northeast Delhi violence, Delhi clashes, northeast Delhi clashes, Tahir Hussain, Tahir Hussain arrested, India news, Indian Express

Delhi Police Thursday arrested AAP’s suspended municipal councillor Tahir Hussain in connection with the riots. (Express File Photo)

AS THE death toll in the communal violence in northeast Delhi last month climbed to 53, police Thursday arrested AAP’s suspended municipal councillor Tahir Hussain in connection with the riots.

Hussain has also been named in the FIR registered in connection with IB staffer Ankit Sharma’s killing during the riots, with police sources saying that evidence was still being collected in the case. Sharma’s body was found in a drain in northeast Delhi on February 26, a day after he went missing.

The AAP leader has been named in another riot-related FIR, which has been filed on the basis of a complaint by Constable Sangram Singh at Khajuri Khas police station.

On Wednesday, Hussain had filed an anticipatory bail application and it was to be heard Thursday at the Karkardooma court. However, due to a large gathering of lawyers inside the court room, Hussain offered to surrender before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate at the Rouse Avenue courts complex.

He showed up with his lawyer Mukesh Kalia and submitted to the ACMM court that there was grave apprehension to his life due to the charged “environment” in the Karkardooma court. He was arrested around 3 pm by the Delhi Police Crime Branch, which is probing the riot-related cases, after his application to surrender was dismissed by the court.

Before his arrest, Hussain told reporters that he had “full faith” in the courts. “I am a victim of the riots. I had to run to save myself and my family. Senior police officers can testify to this. I should not be framed because of a political conspiracy. I request that I am not targetted because I am a Muslim and my name is Tahir Hussain,” he said.

Prior to his arrest, Hussain, in his surrender application, said he “fears for his life in case he goes to the jurisdiction of the courts at Karkardooma”.

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“The applicant has a strong apprehension that he may be implicated in false criminal cases. The applicant himself being a victim of the same, yet, the Delhi Police, which is under tremendous pressure, is trying to tarnish his image,” Hussain’s lawyer, Kalia, told the court.

He also said that Hussain was not connected to the murder of the IB staffer, and was ready to join the investigation. Kalia told the court that on February 24, when the area where Tahir was staying was engulfed by riots, he made multiple phone calls to Delhi Police, and late evening the same date, he and his family members, under police protection, left their house fearing for their safety.

“Pertinently, the house of the Applicant was ransacked by the rioters… The Applicant was also not in his constituency on the February 25 but on information regarding the situation in the area, he was calling up the police constantly, requesting them that he was not in the area and that the police should control the situation and protect the residents of the area,” he said.

ACMM Vishal Pahuja, however, said the offence was committed in the jurisdiction of Dayalpur police station, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Karkardooma court. He said Hussain’s reason for filing the surrender application in his court “does not justify the conduct of the applicant to chose this forum for seeking the aforesaid relief… The court is a Special Designated court dealing with matters of MPs/MLAs… The applicant does not fall in the aforesaid category, hence, this application cannot be even entertained by this Court”.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

Mahender Singh Manral

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

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