A Delhi court on Friday sentenced former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain and four others to life imprisonment in the murder case of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots.
The sentence was pronounced by the Karkardooma Court, which rejected the Delhi Police’s plea seeking the death penalty for the convicts.
Earlier, on July 13, the court had convicted Tahir Hussain, Nazim, Kashim, Anas and Javed of murder, abduction, rioting and promoting communal enmity. Six of the 11 accused in the case were acquitted.
Ankit Sharma’s body recovered from Khajuri Khas drain
The case was registered at the Dayalpur Police Station on a complaint filed by Ankit Sharma’s father, Ravinder Kumar.
According to the complaint, Sharma had returned home from work on February 25, 2020, but later stepped out again and did not return.
While the family was searching for him, locals informed them that he had been killed and his body had been thrown into the Khajuri Khas drain near the Chand Bagh bridge.
The following morning, police recovered Sharma’s body from the drain.
Father accused Tahir Hussain and associates
In his complaint, Ravinder Kumar alleged that his son was murdered by then AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and his associates.
According to the prosecution, the accused had gathered at Hussain’s office before the incident and, after the alleged murder, disposed of Ankit Sharma’s body in the drain.
After Hussain’s name surfaced in the investigation, the Aam Aadmi Party suspended him from the party.
On March 24, 2023, the court framed charges against Tahir Hussain and 10 other accused in the case.
Murder took place during 2020 Northeast Delhi riots
The murder occurred during the communal violence that erupted in Northeast Delhi in February 2020.
Clashes broke out on February 23 between groups supporting and opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
The violence escalated over the next few days, with widespread incidents of stone-pelting, arson and vandalism reported from several parts of Northeast Delhi.
The riots continued until February 26, leaving 53 people dead and more than 250 injured. According to official figures, 38 of those killed were Muslims and 15 were Hindus.
The violence also caused extensive damage to property, with around 800 shops destroyed and more than 500 houses set on fire.
