On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has released a statement informing about the arrest of radical Islamist and former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA).
As per the press release, Tahir Hussain has been remanded to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate for a period of 6 days by the Karkardooma Court in Delhi for his role in money laundering and funding the Anti-CAA protests and Delhi Anti-Hindu riots. The investigation is conducted by the ED under the PMLA on the basis of First Information Reports (FIRs) that have been filed by the Delhi Police, Crime Branch, and Dayalpur Police Station.
The FIRs had pressed charges against Tahir Hussain under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 385 (creating fear for extortion), which are cognizable offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Tahir Hussain, former Aam Admi Party Councillor, Delhi has been arrested & remanded to ED custody for 6 days for his involvement in funding of anti-CAA protests/riots.
— ED (@dir_ed) August 31, 2020
Tahir Hussain transferred funds from his companies to fuel riots
The ED in its statement has revealed that Tahir Hussain had transferred large sums of money to fraudulent operators via companies that are either owned or controlled by him and his relatives. The operators had then returned the funds to him in cash, which was then utilised to fuel violence during the Anti-Hindu riots of Delhi in February this year. Moreover, a probe into his companies by the ED has unearthed money laundering scam by Hussain in the past.
ED recovers fake invoices; grills Hussain in jail
In its statement, the Enforcement Directorate has informed that on June 23 they conducted raids at several residential and business holdings of the former AAP councillor and his associates in Delhi, Noida and Greater Noida. During the search, the central investigative agency recovered ‘incriminating documents’ and evidence including fake invoices. According to the ED, the fake invoices were used to transfer money fraudulently. Recently, Hussain has been questioned in Tihar jail by the ED while he was in the custody of the Delhi Police.
The role of Tahir Hussain in Delhi Anti-CAA riots
Tahir Hussain in his confession during the interrogation of Delhi Police said that Khalid Saifi, who is very close to him, planned the riots with him. He once told him that his political position and money should be used against Hindus and for the community. He promised Saifi that he will always be ready to take any step. After the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Ram Lalla Virajman and the Indian government passed Citizen Amendment Act tabled by Home Minister Amit Shah, Tahir and Khalid met and decided that this is time they have to act.
The charge sheet pertaining to FIR 114 states that Tahir played a vital role in burning several Hindu shops in the Khajuri Khas area along with his accomplices. During the investigation, police found out that he had instigated a mob during the riots of 24th and 25th February 2020 saying that Hindus have killed many Muslims and had set their shops on fire on the Sherpur Chowk. The charge sheet says, “Only 64 live cartridges and 22 empty cartridges were recovered at his instance. During interrogation, he could not give an account of the remaining 14 live cartridges and 22 empty/fired cartridges, when and where the same were fired/used.”
