Incidentally His Name Is Tahir: Javed Akhtar Questions Delhi Police For Sealing AAP Councillor’s House

Renowned lyricist Javed Akhtar on Thursday questioned Delhi police’ action to seal the house of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain, who is allegedly involved in the communal riots that erupted in Northeast Delhi in which more than 30 people have lost their lives. Javed Akhtar took to Twitter and wrote, "So many killed, so many injured, so many house burned, so many shops looted so many people turned destitutes but police has sealed only one house and looking for his owner. Incidentally his name is Tahir. Hats off to the consistency of the Delhi police."

The Delhi police on Thursday sealed Hussain’s factory located at North East Delhi's Khajoori Khaas area. Tahir Hussain, on the other hand, denied any involvement in the riots or the killing of an Intelligence Bureau staffer whose family accused him of being behind the murder, saying these are "baseless accusations".

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He called for an impartial probe into the incident and said action should be taken against the guilty. "It is wrong to target me. I and my family have nothing to do with it," Hussain said. The AAP leader also demanded strict action against BJP leaders responsible for giving inflammatory speeches.

Ankit Sharma (26), who worked for the Intelligence Bureau (IB), had gone missing on Tuesday and his body was found in a drain near his home in northeast Delhi’s riot-hit Chand Bagh area on Wednesday. His family members claimed that the local councillor and his associates were behind the killing. Hussain has rejected the allegations.

"I came to know from news reports that I am being blamed for the murder of a man. These are lies and baseless accusations. For our safety, my family and I had moved away from our home on Monday in police presence," he said.

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Earlier in the evening, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal held a press briefing and urged police to take stern action against the rioters irrespective of the parties they belong. Speaking for the first time on alleged involvement of AAP councillor Tahir Hussain in the communal riots in northeast Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said no person from whichever party they belong to should be spared and should be given stringent punishment.

"Any person who is found guilty should be given stringent punishment. If any Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) person is found guilty then that person should be given double the punishment. There should be no politics on the issue of national security," Kejriwal said while addressing the media.