The Supreme Court of India has granted custody parole to former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain, allowing him to campaign for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections.
Hussain, who is contesting on an All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen ticket, is also an accused in the February 2020 Delhi riots case.
A three-judge bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Karol, and Sandeep Mehta approved Hussain’s request for parole. The court permitted him to campaign from January 29 to February 3, imposing strict conditions to ensure security and compliance.
Under the terms of the order, Hussain will be allowed to leave jail during the daytime, accompanied by police security, but must return to custody each night. The bench stipulated that the parole would be subject to a payment of ₹2.47 lakh per day to cover security expenses.
Senior advocate Siddharth Aggarwal, representing Hussain, argued that his client had only a few days left to campaign.
Aggarwal assured the court that Hussain would not visit his residence in Mustafabad, the constituency he is contesting from, as it had been linked to allegations in the Delhi riots. Instead, he offered that Hussain would stay in a hotel and provide all necessary details to the authorities.
Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju opposed the plea, citing the seriousness of Hussain’s alleged role in the riots. Raju contended that granting such relief could set a precedent, potentially encouraging others in jail to file nominations simply to gain similar privileges.
The court sought clarity from Raju on the specific security arrangements required and directed Aggarwal to submit undertakings detailing Hussain’s proposed actions during the parole period.
Hussain’s plea for interim bail was previously rejected on January 22, following a split verdict by a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court. However, the fresh order now allows him limited freedom to participate in the election campaign while remaining in police custody.
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