The Karkardooma Court convicts Tahir Hussain of abetment of rioting in a 2020 North-East Delhi riots case, acquitting him of all other charges.
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New Delhi: A Delhi court at the Karkardooma Courts on Saturday convicted former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain of abetment of rioting in a case arising from the February 2020 North-East Delhi riots, while acquitting him of all the other charges framed against him. Seven co-accused were acquitted of all charges [FIR No. 120 of 2020, Dayalpur Police Station].
Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh delivered the verdict. The sentence for this conviction has not been stated, and a detailed order is awaited.
The case
The FIR was registered at Dayalpur Police Station on a complaint by Irshad Ali, who alleged that his shop was looted and set on fire on February 24, 2020. The complaint put the loss at Rs 17 to 18 lakh in stolen goods and Rs 10 lakh in property damage. The FIR invoked Sections 147, 148 and 149 (rioting), 427 (mischief), 436 (mischief by fire) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. These are the prosecution’s allegations as framed; the court has convicted Hussain only of abetment of rioting.
The acquittals
The court acquitted Md Shadab, Shah Alam, Riyasat Ali, Gulfam, Md Rihan, Arshad Qayyum and Irshad Ahmed of all charges. The prosecution’s material against Hussain included the statement of a complainant, Mohd Zahid, who said rioters raised slogans in support of Hussain, and the identification of Hussain by two constables during the investigation. The reasoning of the court on each charge will be known once the detailed order is available.
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A separate earlier conviction
This is Hussain’s second conviction arising from the 2020 riots. He was earlier convicted in a separate case for the murder of Intelligence Bureau staffer Ankit Sharma during the riots and sentenced to life imprisonment. That conviction is a distinct matter from the Dayalpur shop-arson case decided on Saturday.
Appearances
Special Public Prosecutor Madhukar Pandey appeared for the State, and advocate Rajiv Mohan appeared for Hussain.
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Why the judgment matters
The verdict is a split outcome: a conviction on the abetment charge alone, with acquittal on the remaining charges and for all seven co-accused. Whether the conviction or the acquittals are challenged, and what sentence follows, will depend on the detailed order and on any appeals the parties choose to file.
The conviction is limited to the case decided on Saturday. Other proceedings concerning the 2020 riots remain separate, and the presumption of innocence continues to apply to every accused in matters that are pending. This report expresses no view on the merits of any other case.
Case Title: State v. Tahir Hussain and Others [FIR No. 120 of 2020, Dayalpur Police Station]
Bench: Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh, Karkardooma Courts, Delhi
Date of Judgment: October 10, 2026
Appearances: Special Public Prosecutor Madhukar Pandey for the State; advocate Rajiv Mohan for Tahir Hussain