' Clear objective to harm Hindus', Delhi Court frames charges against Tahir, 9 others in 2020 riots case

NEW DELHI: A Delhi Court said that a mob assembled at the house of former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain had an object to harm members of the Hindu community and to disturb the public tranquillity during the 2020 riots while charging them under the law.

“The facts and evidence of this case show that a number of persons assembled at the house of Tahir Hussain. Some of them were equipped with firing weapons. Petrol bombs were also arranged, by accumulating the required materials in Hussain’s house. Stones were stored in sacks. All these things were used to target Hindus. Every member of the mob assembled there, participated in achieving this object i.e. to target Hindus.” read the order delivered by Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala.

It added that “Such preparations made it look like the house was being used as a base. It shows that the mob was acting out of prior meeting of their mind and with a clear-cut objective in mind, to harm Hindus in every possible manner.”

Hussain’s counsel submitted that other than bald statement of witnesses that they saw him on the top of his roof leading the riots, no material has been produced by the prosecution. She also argued that rioters did not occupy Hussain’s house at his instance, rather he was protecting his house from rioters and he made PCR calls to police.

The judge, however, observed that it is well reflected that Hussain was actively talking to these people. During this period, the other persons, some of whom had covered their faces with helmet and otherwise, were pelting stones on adjoining properties. One can also see in the video the dense smoke out of fire rising up to the sky from the side of Hussain’s house.