Delhi violence: Suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain sent to judicial custody in money laundering case

Suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain has been sent to judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case related to northeast Delhi violence, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) submitted before the Delhi High Court on Thursday.

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New Delhi: Suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain has been sent to judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case related to northeast Delhi violence, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) submitted in Rouse Avenue court after Tahir Hussain's ED custody ended on Thursday.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the ED, said that Tahir Hussain has been sent to judicial custody by a trial court today and the agency did not seek his further custody. Raju said that Hussain has been handed over to Tihar Jail authorities.

A single-judge bench of Justice Yogesh Khanna, which was hearing Hussain`s plea against a trial court order extending his ED remand in the money laundering case, adjourned the matter for detail arguments on November 24 after hearing the submissions.

The ED custody of Tahir Hussain, a key accused in the northeast Delhi violence which took place in February this year, was earlier extended by three days. The accused had moved a plea in the High Court claiming the extension of ED remand was illegal.

The ED confronted Tahir Hussain with his wife raising several questions regarding the company's transactions which he could not answer. Tahir is accused of sending large amounts to his relatives' accounts and then took cash from them, this money was allegedly used for the violence in February 2020.

Transactions were carried out from accused Tahir's company to shell companies or dummy companies. In this regard, ED officials started questioning by placing documents in front of accused Tahir Hussain, but if sources agreed, Tahir Hussain did not give any answer.

"The money so obtained are proceeds of crime which were then used for committing various other scheduled offences. We need further remand of him to confront him with several documents, etc," the ED counsels had said.

Earlier, ED had submitted that accused has also been arrested in connection with northeast Delhi violence case. Lawyers representing the ED had also submitted that scheduled offences are attracted in the present case and it is suspected case of money laundering.

The lawyers had also submitted that ED has also conducted searches at various premises and several incriminating documents and digital devices were recovered and seized from the accused`s possessions.

Recently, a Delhi court had taken cognizance on a chargesheet filed against Tahir Hussain and others in a case related to the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) staffer Ankit Sharma during the northeast Delhi violence in February this year.

According to the Delhi Police, Tahir Hussain is one of the prime accused in connection with northeast Delhi violence, in which at least 53 people lost their lives.