Delhi violence: Tahir Hussain was named in the murder of IB employee Ankit Sharma.
Highlights
- Suspended AAP leader Tahir Hussain is missing, said police on Tuesday
- A senior cop earlier had said Mr Hussain was rescued from his home
- His statement seemingly backed Tahir Hussain's claim of innocence
Suspended Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Tahir Hussain, accused in the killing of an Intelligence Bureau employee in northeast Delhi amid violence over the new citizenship law last week, is missing and efforts are on to arrest him, the police said on Tuesday.
"He was named as accused... upon recovery of the body of Shri Ankit Sharma. His house was searched and he was found absconding. Efforts are being made to arrest him," the Delhi Police said in a statement late on Tuesday night.
"A section of media has reported that Tahir Hussain (councillor) was rescued by Delhi Police. The facts are that on night intervening 24/25 Feb 2020 when some public men informed police deployed at Chand bagh that Tahir Hussain was trapped as crowd had surrounded his house, the police verified the same to be incorrect and Tahir Hussain was found available in his house," It added.
The clarification came after a senior police officer, earlier in the day, said they had rescued Mr Hussain from his home, seemingly backing his claim of innocence.
Additional Commissioner of Police Ajit Singla had said that he and his team had rescued the politician following an SOS call last Monday.
A day later, Ankit Sharma, whose body was found in a drain near his home in Jaffrabad, was allegedly attacked by a mob and stabbed to death on his way home. The post-mortem report, released on Thursday, indicated multiple stab wounds across his body.
His father Ravinder Sharma, who is also an IB employee, alleged supporters of Mr Hussain had killed his son. He further alleged his son had been shot after he was beaten.
Mr Hussain denied the allegations and said his family and he "went to a safe place in the presence of police on 24th" and never returned home after that. The councillor has also applied for anticipatory bail in the case.
Admitting that he was in widely-circulated videos where stones and firebombs are thrown at crowds during the clashes, the councillor claimed he was the target, not the attacker.
Announcing its action against him on Thursday, Delhi's ruling AAP said that Mr Hussain will remain suspended until the charges against him are investigated and he is cleared.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reacted to the allegations on Thursday, saying: "No one, be it any party, should be spared if they are responsible for inciting violence".
Unrelenting violence consumed northeast Delhi for five straight days starting February 23 as roving mobs armed with iron rods, sticks and guns defied police orders banning large gatherings to rampage through the streets, committing arson and vandalism and terrifying residents. At least 46 people have been killed and hundreds injured in the violence.