New Delhi: A Delhi court has convicted former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain and four others for the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, marking a significant development in one of the most closely watched cases arising from the communal violence that shook the national capital.
The judgment was delivered by the Karkardooma Court, which found Hussain guilty of multiple offences, including murder, rioting, promoting enmity, assault, and use of criminal force. Alongside Hussain, four co-accused, Javed, Anas, Nazim, and Kasim, were also convicted for their involvement in Sharma’s killing.
However, the court acquitted six other accused persons, stating that the prosecution had failed to establish their guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The quantum of punishment has not yet been decided, with the court scheduling a separate hearing to determine the sentence.
The conviction stems from the killing of Ankit Sharma, an Intelligence Bureau official whose body was recovered from a drain during the violence that erupted in northeast Delhi in February 2020. According to the prosecution, Sharma was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by members of an unlawful assembly during the riots.
Investigators had informed the court that Sharma’s body bore signs of brutal assault. His face and other parts of the body had reportedly been burned with acid, allegedly in an attempt to conceal his identity. The gruesome nature of the killing made the case one of the most prominent investigations linked to the riots.
The case was registered on February 26, 2020, based on a complaint filed by Sharma’s father, Ravinder Kumar. In his complaint, Kumar stated that clashes had been taking place for several days between anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protesters and pro-CAA groups in the Chand Bagh area. The violence involved stone-pelting, arson, firing, vandalism, and attacks from both sides, creating an atmosphere of fear and lawlessness.
According to the complaint, Tahir Hussain, who was then serving as a municipal councillor, allegedly gathered a large group of people at his office located near Chand Bagh Pulia on Main Karawal Nagar Road. The complainant alleged that stones, petrol bombs, and gunshots were fired from the rooftop of Hussain’s building, intensifying the violence in the locality.
Ravinder Kumar further stated that his son had returned home from work on February 25, 2020, before leaving again around 5 p.m. to purchase household items. When Sharma failed to return, family members searched nearby hospitals and surrounding areas before filing a missing person’s report the following day.
Later, local residents allegedly informed the family that Sharma had been killed and that his body had been thrown into the Khajuri Khas drain after the murder. The body was subsequently recovered by authorities.
During the course of the trial, the prosecution argued that Hussain had played an active role in the unlawful assembly responsible for Sharma’s killing. At the stage of framing charges, prosecutors had also submitted that Hussain allegedly incited the mob to target members of the Hindu community during the riots. The court considered the evidence presented throughout the trial before delivering its verdict.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Hussain’s plea seeking bail after examining the allegations and the evidence placed before it during the investigation.
Reacting to the verdict, Hussain’s lawyer, Abdul Gaffar, said the defence would challenge the conviction before a higher court.
The Aam Aadmi Party also responded to the judgment, reiterating that Tahir Hussain had been suspended immediately after an FIR was registered against him in the case. The party stated that it has had no association with him since then.
Meanwhile, Ankit Sharma’s brother, Ankur Sharma, welcomed the conviction and demanded the strictest possible punishment for those found guilty. Speaking to NDTV, he said the convicts should be awarded either life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golchha, who supervised the investigation into the 2020 riots, said the police had focused on maintaining law and order while ensuring that the investigation remained fair, impartial, and based on evidence. He stated that investigators worked diligently to gather credible material and bring those responsible before the court, adding that the judgment reflected the professionalism and sustained efforts of the investigating team.
