Court takes cognisance of ED chargesheet against Tahir Hussain

A court in Delhi on Saturday took cognisance of the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain in a money laundering case allegedly related to the riots in northeast Delhi in February this year.

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Saturday took cognisance of the charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain in a money laundering case allegedly connected to the riots in northeast Delhi in February this year.

Noting that there is "prima facie sufficient incriminating material against Tahir Hussain," Additional Session Judge Amitabh Rawat took cognisance of the offence under Section 3 read with Section 70, punishable under Section 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The accused was arrested in August and is currently in judicial custody. The court has now summoned him on October 19.

The investigation agency filed the charge sheet on Saturday and told the court that further investigation is in progress and a supplementary complaint may be filed later.

According to the ED, Hussain funded anti-CAA protests and organised riots in northeast Delhi in February this year.

An ED official had earlier said that the case was registered based on multiple FIRs under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which are scheduled offences under the PMLA.

READ: Special prayer marks the beginning of Navratri at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine

The official said that during the probe it was found that companies owned or controlled by Hussain and his relatives transferred huge amounts of money to dubious entities, which were returned by them in cash.

"The cash received by Hussain was used to fuel the anti-CAA protests and Delhi riots. The probe also revealed the involvement of Hussain and his companies in the illegal laundering of money in the past too," the ED said in its charge sheet.

The ED had conducted searches at Hussain and his family members' residential and business premises in Delhi, Noida and Greater Noida on June 23 which led to the recovery of incriminating documents and evidence, including fake invoices which were used for fraudulent transfer of money.

Besides this, he is also the main accused in the case pertaining to "conspiracy" to incite violence.

In February, clashes between the new citizenship law supporters and protesters had spiralled out of control, leaving 53 people dead and 748 injured.

IANS