A Delhi court on Friday sentenced all five accused, including former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain, to life imprisonment for the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 North-East Delhi riots. On July 13, the court had convicted Tahir Hussain, Nazim, Qasim, Javed and Anas under various sections including murder and criminal conspiracy.
While pronouncing the sentence, the court described the crime as a “very serious incident” and said it had shocked society. The judge said the manner in which the incident occurred forced society to introspect and reflect on the circumstances that led to this brutal murder. The court stated that the crime was of a serious nature and that all those found guilty in this case should be sentenced to life imprisonment.
The sentence was pronounced after the court convicted Tahir Hussain and other accused for their role in the murder of Ankit Sharma, whose body was found in a drain during the communal violence that broke out in North-East Delhi in February 2020.
The murder of the 26-year-old IB officer became one of the most high-profile cases related to the riots. The prosecution alleged that Sharma was attacked and murdered by a violent mob. Tahir Hussain denied the charges during the trial. With the sentencing order, all those convicted in the case will face life imprisonment for the crime. The detailed sentencing order is awaited.