Tahir Hussain Challenges Life Sentence In Ankit Sharma Murder Case, Delhi HC Seeks Police Response

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a response from the Delhi Police on an appeal filed by former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain challenging his life sentence in the murder of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Delhi riots. Hussain has alleged that the investigation was conducted with the aim of implicating him to “satisfy public anger”.

A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Vikas Mahajan admitted Hussain’s appeal and listed it for hearing on December 2 along with other connected appeals.

Trial Court Awarded Life Sentence

On July 31, a trial court sentenced Hussain and four other convicts — Nazim, Qasim, Javed and Anas — to life imprisonment for Sharma’s murder. The court held that the case did not fall under the “rarest of rare” category warranting the death penalty.

Hussain was also fined ₹5 lakh, while the other four convicts were each fined ₹25,000. The accused were additionally sentenced to seven years in prison for kidnapping, along with another sentence for rioting.

In his appeal, Hussain has challenged the trial court’s findings and alleged that the investigation was driven by public anger rather than an impartial assessment of the evidence.

What Happened During 2020 Delhi Riots?

Communal violence erupted in northeast Delhi on February 24, 2020, during protests and counter-protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act. The violence eventually left 53 people dead and several hundred injured.

Two days later, Sharma’s father, Ravinder Kumar, informed Dayalpur police station that his son was missing. Sharma’s body was subsequently recovered from a drain near a bridge in the Khajuri Khas area, close to Chand Bagh.

According to the prosecution, Sharma’s body bore 51 injuries, seven of which were sufficient to cause death. Prosecutors described the killing as a deliberate and cold-blooded murder involving a heavy cutting weapon.

The High Court’s response to Hussain’s appeal does not amount to a finding on his guilt or innocence. The matter will now be considered further after the Delhi Police files its response.