New Delhi, October 2026 : A Delhi court on Saturday convicted former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain of abetment to rioting in a case related to the February 2020 North-East Delhi riots, while acquitting him of the other charges and clearing seven co-accused of all charges.
Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh of the Karkardooma Court delivered the verdict in a case involving the looting and burning of a shop in the Dayalpur area on February 24, 2020, during the communal violence that affected several parts of North-East Delhi.
The court convicted Hussain of abetment to rioting but acquitted him of the remaining offences in the case. The seven other accused were acquitted of all charges. The court has scheduled arguments on the quantum of sentence for November 16.
The case originated from a complaint filed by a shopkeeper in Dayalpur, who alleged that a mob looted his shop and subsequently set it on fire during the violence. According to the complaint, goods worth approximately Rs 17-18 lakh were stolen, while the damage to the property was estimated at around Rs 10 lakh.
Following the complaint, an FIR was registered at Dayalpur police station under Sections 147, 148, 149, 427, 436 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The charges related to rioting, rioting while armed with a deadly weapon, unlawful assembly, causing property damage, arson and criminal conspiracy.
Saturday's verdict marks Hussain's second conviction in a case connected with the February 2020 riots.
He is currently serving a life sentence following his conviction in the murder case of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma. The Karkardooma Court had convicted Hussain and four other accused—Javed, Anas, Nazim and Kasim—in connection with Sharma's murder and sentenced them to life imprisonment. Six other accused were acquitted in that case.
Hussain has challenged his conviction and life sentence before the Delhi High Court. In September, the High Court issued notice to Delhi Police on his appeal and directed that the matter be listed alongside connected appeals filed by other convicts on December 2.
The February 2020 communal violence in North-East Delhi claimed 53 lives, left several others injured and caused extensive damage to homes, shops and other properties. The violence remains the subject of multiple criminal proceedings before courts in the national capital.
The November 16 hearing will determine the next stage of proceedings in the shop arson case, with the court scheduled to hear arguments on the sentence following Hussain's conviction.
