The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the police to respond to a bail plea of former Aam Aadmi Party Councillor Tahir Hussain, who is in jail in connection with the violence in the national Capital in February that took 53 lives and injured hundreds, PTI reported. Last month, a trial court had dismissed three of Hussain’s bail pleas.

On Wednesday, Justice Suresh Kumar Kait asked the investigating officer of the case to file a status report on Hussain’s plea and listed the matter for further hearing on December 11.

The first information report, in which Hussain was seeking bail, is related to looting of a shop in Dayalpur area of northeast Delhi causing a loss of about Rs 20 lakh to the owner, according to PTI.

Appearing for Hussain, Advocate Rizwan said that there were general allegations in the FIR and no specific allegation against the former councillor. He contended that there were 10 accused in the case, of which nine have already been granted bail and Hussain is the only one still in custody. Rizwan further argued that his client was falsely implicated in the case.

While denying him bail, the trial court had said that even if no direct acts of violence could be attributable to Hussain, his house became the centrestage for the rioters to unleash violence. It had also said that the spread of the riots in such a short time is impossible without a premeditated conspiracy.

The FIR was lodged on March 4 based on a complaint by an individual, Zeeshan, who said his furniture shop had been broken and the articles were looted by the rioters.