In the high-profile murder case of Intelligence Bureau (IB) staffer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots, a Delhi court on Monday convicted five accused, including former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain, while acquitting six others.
Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Kumar Singh of the Karkardooma Court delivered the verdict after a prolonged trial based on witness testimonies, forensic evidence and documentary records.
Who Was Convicted And Who Was Acquitted?
The five convicted accused are Tahir Hussain, Nazim, Qasim, Javed and Anas.
The six acquitted accused are Haseen alias Mullaji alias Salman, Sameer Khan, Firoz, Gulfam, Shoaib Alam alias Bobby and Muntazim alias Musa.
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The court granted them the benefit of doubt due to insufficient evidence. A separate hearing will be held to determine the quantum of sentence for the convicted men.
Charges Against Tahir Hussain
The court found Tahir Hussain guilty of offences including disobedience to an order promulgated by a public servant, promoting enmity between communities, rioting, rioting with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, murder and unlawful assembly. However, Hussain was discharged from criminal conspiracy and abetment charges.
Nazim also stood convicted of defying the public order, instigating enmity, public nuisance and riot, rioting and causing murder using deadly weapons, kidnapping, riotous behaviour, and illegal assembly.
The judge held Qasim, Javed and Anas guilty of charges such as promoting communal enmity, rioting, rioting with deadly weapons, kidnapping, murder and unlawful assembly.
Murder of Ankit Sharma
The case involves the killing of an IB staffer, Ankit Sharma, aged 26, during the communal riots that occurred in North-east Delhi in February 2020.
Sharma’s body was recovered from a drain in the Chand Bagh area on February 26, 2020. The prosecution said the victim was assaulted and killed by a mob before being thrown in the drain.
The prosecution examined several eyewitnesses, the forensic evidence, post-mortem reports and other documentary evidence to prove its case during the trial.
After hearing the contentions of both sides, the court acquitted six accused and convicted five accused. Sentencing of the accused shall be carried out separately.