Delhi High Court Seeks Police Response on Tahir Hussain’s Bail Plea in 2020 Delhi Riots Conspiracy Case

Key Points:

ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2026, the Delhi High Court sought a response from the Delhi Police on the bail appeal filed by Tahir Hussain. Hussain is a former Aam Aadmi Party councillor who was arrested and has been in prolonged custody for his alleged involvement in the larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 Delhi riots.

The matter was heard by a bench comprising Justice Neena Bansal Krishna and Justice Madhu Jain, who issued notice to the Delhi Police and directed them to file their reply within four weeks. The court also sought a response on Hussain’s application seeking condonation of delay in filing the appeal.

Hussain challenged a January 29, 2026 order of the Karkardooma trial court, which had rejected his bail plea. The prosecution invoked provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), alleging that Hussain and several others were involved in a larger conspiracy behind the riots. The case relates to the communal violence that erupted in northeast Delhi in February 2020, resulting in several deaths and widespread property damage.

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Additional Solicitor General SV Raju appeared for the Delhi Police and pointed out the delay in filing the appeal. Senior Advocate Rajiv Mohan, representing Hussain in the case, acknowledged the delay and said that it occurred because of larger legal issues currently under consideration in the Supreme Court.

In January 2026, the Supreme Court granted bail to five accused in the same case. These included Mohd. Saleem Khan, Gulfisha Fatima, Shadab Ahmad, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, and Meeran Haider. However, the court denied bail to two main accused, Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, who were considered among the principal conspirators by the prosecution.

While rejecting Hussain’s bail plea on January 29, 2026, Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma courts observed that bail had already been denied to Hussain in 2024 after the court found the allegations against him to be prima facie true. The judge held that the grant of bail to certain co-accused by the Supreme Court did not automatically entitle Hussain to similar relief.

The trial court had observed, “Now, despite the order of the Hon'ble Supreme Court regarding the co-accused persons, when this Court has once formed the opinion that prima facie case is made out against the applicant (Hussain), no other different opinion can be formed now by reviewing the earlier order,” the order stated, as quoted by Bar and Bench.

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When Was Tahir Hussain Arrested?

Hussain was arrested in March 2020 and has remained in detention since then. He has filed multiple applications before courts seeking bail, citing his prolonged detention and delays in the commencement of the trial. The Delhi Police have consistently opposed his bail applications, saying that the allegations against him are serious and that there is prima facie material linking him to the alleged conspiracy.

The larger conspiracy case in the 2020 Delhi riots relates to allegations that several activists, political figures, and organizers involved in the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests were connected to the violence that erupted in Delhi in February 2020. The accused were charged under the UAPA and various provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

Among those arrested were Tahir Hussain, Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Ishrat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Safoora Zargar, Gulfisha Fatima, Devangana Kalita, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Athar Khan, Sharjeel Imam, Faizan Khan, and Natasha Narwal.

Most of them have already been granted bail at different stages of the proceedings, which have been ongoing since 2020, while others remain in jail and the case is still pending. The High Court is expected to consider Hussain’s appeal after receiving the Delhi Police’s response.

[VP]

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