Life Imprisonment for Former AAP Councillor in IB Employee Murder Case
In a significant ruling, a Delhi court has sentenced former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and four accomplices to life imprisonment for the murder of IB employee Ankit Sharma during the 2020 communal riots. The court's decision highlights the severity of the crime while clarifying that it did not meet the criteria for the death penalty. The case has drawn considerable attention due to its connection with the riots that resulted in numerous casualties. The timeline of events reveals a complex legal journey leading to this verdict, which has implications for political accountability and justice in communal violence cases.
| Jul 31, 2026, 19:08 IST
Court Sentences Former AAP Councillor and Accomplices
A Delhi court has sentenced former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain and four co-defendants to life imprisonment for the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) employee Ankit Sharma, which occurred in 2020. The court determined that the case did not fall into the category warranting the death penalty.
The timeline of events related to this case is as follows:
- February 2020: Communal violence erupted in Northeast Delhi during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, resulting in the deaths of 53 individuals and numerous injuries.
- February 25, 2020: Ankit Sharma went missing after leaving his home during the riots.
- February 26, 2020: His body was discovered near the Khajuri Khas drain close to the Chand Bagh bridge. His father, Ravinder Kumar, filed a police report accusing Tahir Hussain and others of murdering his son.
- June 3, 2020: The Delhi Police's Crime Branch filed a charge sheet against ten individuals, including the suspended AAP member Tahir Hussain, in Karkardooma court. The charges included kidnapping, murder, and rioting related to the events of February 25.
- August 21, 2020: The court took cognizance of the charge sheet.
- March 24, 2023: The court framed charges against Tahir Hussain and ten others under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including murder, rioting, promoting enmity, and criminal conspiracy.
- July 13, 2026: The court found Tahir Hussain and four others guilty of murder. Hussain was convicted of murder but acquitted of charges related to criminal conspiracy and incitement.
- July 27, 2026: The court heard arguments regarding sentencing for all convicted individuals and reserved its decision for July 31.
- July 31, 2026: The court sentenced Tahir Hussain and four co-defendants to life imprisonment in the murder case.