The Supreme Court on Monday granted custody parole to Mohd Tahir Hussain, an undertrial prisoner in the 2020 Delhi riots case, allowing him to campaign for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.

Hussain is contesting as the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) candidate from the Mustafabad constituency.

According to the court order, Hussain will be released under police custody for 12 hours daily between January 29 and February 3. The expenses for the police escort, amounting to Rs 2,07,429 for two days, will be borne by him, Live Law reported.

The court specified that Hussain must not visit his residence, which is alleged to have been a site of conspiracy during the riots, and directed him to stay at accommodations arranged by his counsel or a designated hotel.

The bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Karol, and Sandeep Mehta, imposed strict conditions on Hussain, including a prohibition on making any public comments regarding the ongoing case.

Hussain, a former Aam Aadmi Party councilor, faces charges related to the murder of Intelligence Bureau staffer Ankit Sharma during the riots, along with other serious allegations.

The decision to grant him custody parole follows a split verdict on his earlier plea for interim bail. While the High Court denied him interim bail, it previously allowed him custody parole to file his nomination papers.

The court’s ruling has stirred debate, with critics questioning the appropriateness of such allowances for individuals facing severe charges. Authorities have stated that the campaign period will be closely monitored to ensure compliance with the court’s conditions.