AAP leader Tahir Hussain sentenced to life imprisonment in IB officer murder case
A Delhi court has sentenced former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain to life imprisonment for the murder of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 northeast Delhi riots.
While pronouncing the sentence, the Karkardooma Court described the crime as exceptionally brutal, observing that the victim was subjected to extreme violence before his body was disposed of in a nearby drain. The court said the nature of the offence weighed heavily against the accused, though it also considered certain mitigating factors while deciding the sentence.
The court noted that the case presented circumstances that could be viewed as falling within the “rarest of rare” category. However, it also observed that the prosecution had not established a specific individual role for each convicted person in inflicting the fatal injuries. The judges further considered factors such as the educational background of the accused and the atmosphere prevailing during the riots before deciding against awarding the death penalty.
Ankit Sharma, a 26-year-old Intelligence Bureau security assistant, went missing during the communal violence in February 2020. His body was recovered the following day from a drain, and the post-mortem examination recorded multiple stab wounds.
Following the verdict, Hussain’s counsel maintained that her client had not directly participated in the killing and argued that the conviction was based on the principle of vicarious liability rather than evidence showing he personally attacked the victim. She confirmed that an appeal against the judgment would be filed before the High Court.
Hussain also asserted his innocence in a statement issued after the sentencing, expressing confidence that he would receive justice during the appellate process.