Abdul Malik, the ruling Aspire party’s councillor for Blackwall and Cubitt Town, is accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The charge, first listed at Thames Magistrates’ Court last week, alleges he “contacted the father of a 16-year-old complainant of rape and told him to get his daughter to drop the charges against the male alleged to have raped her and get him out of custody”.
He is accused of committing the offence on January 23.
The case has been referred to Snaresbrook Crown Court for a plea hearing on March 14.
Cllr Malik, 50, of Mercury Walk, Poplar, has been elected in Tower Hamlets three times, in 2010, 2018 and 2022.
He is the chair of the council’s human resources committee and sits on its licensing committee.
He is also a director of Castalia Food and Grocery Store on the Isle of Dogs.
Tower Hamlets Council refused to answer questions about whether Cllr Malik was currently able to fulfil his role or whether any measures had been put in place to cover his usual work.
“Due to legal proceedings being active we are unable to comment on the case,” it said.
We had not asked it to comment on the case.
