Delhi riots: HC summons ED special director over non-appearance of prosecution

The court was hearing an application filed by Hussain seeking to get his general power of attorney attested by the court in favour of his wife for filing certain documents before HUDA

A Delhi court has summoned the special director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to appear in person, observing the non-appearance of the prosecution in the money laundering case filed against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Councillor Tahir Hussain in connection with the 2020 North East Delhi riots.

The North-East Delhi February 2020 riots left 53 dead and over 200 injured (PTI)

Additional sessions judge Amitabh Rawat noted that despite directions neither a copy had been supplied nor a reply filed in the court to the counsel for Hussain by the ED.

The court was hearing an application filed by Hussain seeking to get his general power of attorney attested by the court in favour of his wife for filing certain documents before HUDA.

“The court has waited for around half an hour since 12.00pm for somebody to appear on behalf of the prosecution......Previously also there was non-appearance on behalf of the prosecution in the court to file a reply and supply of application/judgments/arguments”, the court said.

“Though it was stated that such a thing would not happen again, however, it has again happened. In these circumstances, let the Special Director (Directorate of Enforcement) appear in person on the next date i.e. 08.12.2023 at 2.00pm,” the court ordered.

Listing the matter for further hearing, the court also directed that Hussain also be physically produced before the court on December 8.

The court was hearing the money laundering case registered against Hussain on March 9, 2020, based on three first information reports filed against him in connection with the 2020 communal riots.

According to the ED, Hussain hatched a conspiracy with his associates to fraudulently withdraw money from the accounts of certain companies owned and controlled by him through bogus and malafide transactions on the strength of fake bills.

The ED has claimed that Husaain was the ultimate beneficiary of laundered money and used it during the riots in North-East Delhi in February 2020.

Protests began in Delhi and other parts of the country in December 2019 in response to the passage of the Citizenship Bill. In February 2020, riots broke out in Northeast Delhi between the pro and anti-CAA protestors. The violence took a communal turn and led to the death of over 53 people and over 200 were injured along with the damage to public and private properties.