The Aam Aadmi Party said on Monday that former assemblyman Tahir Hussain has no association with the party since his primary membership was suspended in 2020 after he was booked in the northeast Delhi riots case.
The development came after a Delhi court convicted Hussain, who was an AAP council member at the time of the violence, in the case of killing of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 riots.
“Hussain was suspended from the party on February 27, 2020, hours after an FIR was registered against him, and has not been associated with the party since then,” the party said.
Meanwhile, the BJP slammed the RJD after Hussain’s conviction, with several leaders saying the RJD leaders should apologize for their association with him.
“Hussain contested the Delhi Assembly elections as an AIMIM candidate from Mustafaabad, a seat which he had earlier represented as an AAP advisor,” AAP said.
She said his nomination from the constituency in the elections “divided the Muslim vote and ultimately helped the BJP candidate win the seat.”
A Delhi court on Monday convicted Hussain and four others of murdering Sharma, who was attacked by a mob and whose body was thrown into a drain during riots in northeast Delhi.
Hussain collapsed in the courtroom when Additional Sessions Judge Pravin Singh delivered the judgement.
The court convicted Hussain under Sections 302 (murder), 153A (promoting hostility), 149 (riot), 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to insult honour), 148 (riot using a deadly weapon) and 147 (punishment for riot).
However, he was acquitted of charges under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 109 (abetment) read with 149 IPC.
The incident occurred during the communal violence that broke out in northeast Delhi in February 2020 amid protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
The riots claimed the lives of 53 people and injured several others.
