Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — Shifa-ur Rahman, the All India Majlis-e Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) candidate from Okhla for the February 5 Delhi Assembly elections, has been granted custodial parole by the Karkadoma Court, allowing him to campaign until February 3. Rahman, who is facing charges in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, had requested custody parole following the similar parole granted to Tahir Hussain, another AIMIM candidate, in connection with the same case.
The court’s decision permits Rahman to stay at home during the parole period while he engages in election campaigning. The parole is granted under specific conditions, allowing him to leave jail to participate in political activities related to his candidature.
Shifa-ur Rahman was arrested on April 26, 2020, for allegedly inciting communal violence during the 2020 Delhi riots. He faces charges under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) related to the violence. His parole comes after the Supreme Court granted similar custodial parole to Tahir Hussain, a former AAP councillor, for six days, during which he was allowed to leave jail each day for election purposes.
Rahman is contesting against Amanatullah Khan, the sitting MLA from Okhla, who has raised doubts about Rahman’s candidacy. Khan, during his election campaign, criticised AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi for fielding Rahman, accusing him of attempting to hand over the Okhla seat to the BJP. Khan questioned Owaisi’s commitment to the constituency, pointing out that the AIMIM leader had not supported the people of Okhla during the Delhi riots. Khan’s allegations added to the political tension surrounding the seat, with the BJP and Congress also fielding their candidates, Manish Chaudhary and Areeba Khan, respectively.
This development marks the latest chapter in the high-stakes political battle in Okhla, with both the ruling AAP and opposition parties intensifying their campaigns.
