NEW DELHI: Suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain, an accused in Northeast Delhi communal riot cases, has allegedly admitted his role in the violence that took place in February.
According to the interrogation report of the Delhi Police, Hussain has also admitted that he incited people to unleash violence.
According to the report, Hussain said that he had met former JNU student Umar Khalid at Popular Front of India (PFI) office in Shaheen Bagh on January 8.
According to Delhi Police report, the suspended AAP legislator was tasked to collect bottle, petrol, acid, and stones on the roof of his house.
One of Hussain's acquaintance, Khalid Saifi was given the task to gather people on the streets for protest.
"Khalid Saifi, along with his friend Ishrat Jahan, first started a dharna demonstration in Khureji on the lines of Shaheen Bagh. On February 4, in Abu Fazal Enclave, I met Khalid Saifi for planning the riots," Hussain has allegedly told the police during interrogation.
Further interrogation has reportedly revealed that after meeting with Saifi, Hussain decided to provoke anti-CAA protesters.
"On February 4, in Abu Fazal Enclave, I met Khalid Saifi for planning the riots. It was decided to provoke people sitting on the anti-CAA strike. Khalif Saifi said that something big has to be done at the time of Donald Trump's visit so that the government kneel," he allegedly told to the police.
According to a chargesheet by Delhi Police, Hussain is one of the prime accused in the killing of IB staffer Ankit Sharma, whose body was recovered from a drain in Chand Bagh
on February 26, during the violence in North East Delhi.
"On February 24, according to our plan, I called several people and told them how to throw stones, petrol bombs, and acid bottles from my roof. I had shifted my family to another place. On 24 February 2020, at about 1:30 pm we started throwing stones," Hussain told the police, according to the report.
A senior police official, privy to the probe, confirmed that Hussain had confessed his involvement in the riots.
"Hussain's alleged role is registered in the police chargesheet. He has accepted his role in Northeast Delhi riots. Further investigation is going on," said the official.