Delhi violence: Suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain sent to judicial custody in money laundering case

Suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain has been sent to judicial custody on Thursday in connection with a money laundering case related to northeast Delhi violence. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the ED, said that Tahir Hussain has been sent to judicial custody by a trial court today and the agency did not seek his further custody. Raju said that Hussain has been handed over to Tihar Jail authorities.

A single-judge bench of Justice Yogesh Khanna, which was hearing Hussain`s plea against a trial court order extending his ED remand in the money laundering case, adjourned the matter for detail arguments on November 24 after hearing the submissions.

The ED custody of Tahir Hussain, a key accused in the northeast Delhi violence which took place in February this year, was earlier extended by three days. The accused had moved a plea in the High Court claiming the extension of ED remand was illegal.

The ED confronted Tahir Hussain with his wife raising several questions regarding the company's transactions which he could not answer. Tahir is accused of sending large amounts to his relatives' accounts and then took cash from them, this money was allegedly used for the violence in February 2020.

Transactions were carried out from accused Tahir's company to shell companies or dummy companies. In this regard, ED officials started questioning by placing documents in front of accused Tahir Hussain, but if sources agreed, Tahir Hussain did not give any answer.

"The money so obtained are proceeds of crime which were then used for committing various other scheduled offences. We need further remand of him to confront him with several documents, etc," the ED counsels had said.

Hussain was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on August 31in a money laundering case related to the communal violence in northeast Delhi in February. The investigating agency has secured six days of custodial remand of Tahir. 

Hussain was arrested in connection with an ongoing Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) investigation into his role in money laundering and funding of anti-CAA (Citizenship (Amendment) Act) protests and organising riots in northeast Delhi on February 24-25 this year. 

The agency had earlier in the day brought Tahir for questioning from Tihar jail in connection with northeast Delhi riots and his relations with Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad.

Tahir was brought from Tihar jail to the ED's headquarters in south Delhi's Khan Market area for questioning, according to ED officials, who also said that Tahir will also be interrogated about funding for the Delhi riots. He is also being questioned about which hawala operators he was in touch with to collect the money for the riots.

Hussain was arrested in connection with the riots in northeast Delhi in February. He has also been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in a conspiracy case related to the riots.