Delhi riots: Tahir Hussain gave money for purchasing ammunition for “big riot”, police tells court

Suspended AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain, arrested in connection with the recent communal violence in north-east Delhi, allegedly gave money to a local in January for purchasing fresh ammunition to prepare for a “big riot”, the Delhi police told a court on Monday in its charge sheet.

The charge sheet was filed in a case related to attempt to murder of a local during the February violence by the Crime Branch of Delhi police before Metropolitan Magistrate Rakesh Kumar Rampuri against eight persons including Hussain, his brother Shah Alam, Gulfam and Tanveer.

According to the charge sheet, Gulfam’s licensed weapon, a .32 bore pistol, was recovered along with one extra magazine and seven live rounds, the charge sheet said.

It further said that during investigation Gulfam had disclosed that he actively participated in the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act

“In the month of January, Tahir Hussain had asked him to be prepared for a ‘big riot’. Tahir had also given him Rs.15,000 to purchase fresh ammunition. Accordingly, on January 31 he had purchased 100 rounds. He already had about 100 rounds stored with him from before,” police claimed.

Police further said that Gulfam had allegedly fired most of these 200 rounds during the riots and only seven live rounds were recovered from him.

“The preparation for ‘big riot’, purchase of bullets and indiscriminate firing from Tahir Hussain’s house show the extent of conspiracy behind, the riots,” police said.

All the accused are in jail and they have been charged for the offences under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code.

The offences entail a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

The charge sheet said that further investigation was going on to identify other accused in the case.

The case was registered on the complaint of Ajay Goswami who had received a bullet injury on February 25 during the riots and he had named Gulfam and Tanveer as the main accused in the case. Goswami had alleged in the complaint that both the accused were firing indiscriminately from the terrace of Hussain’s house.

Hussain has been charge sheeted in two other cases including the alleged murder of IB official Ankit Sharma during the riots.