In a landmark judgment in one of the most closely watched cases arising from the 2020 North-East Delhi riots, the Karkardooma Court on Monday convicted former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Mohd. Tahir Hussain along with Nazim, Kasim, Javed and Anas for the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma.
The verdict was pronounced by Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ-03) Praveen Singh in FIR No. 65/2020, registered at Dayalpur Police Station, after nearly six years of investigation and trial.
The case, State vs. Md. Tahir Hussain & Others, has been one of the most significant criminal trials linked to the communal violence that engulfed North-East Delhi in February 2020.
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Court Convicts Five, Acquits Six
The court convicted the following accused:
- Mohd. Tahir Hussain
- Nazim
- Kasim
- Javed
- Anas
The following accused were acquitted:
- Muntazim @ Musa
- Shoaib Alam
- Haseen Sameer
- Gulfam
- Firoz
- One other co-accused
Out of the 11 accused who faced trial, five were convicted while six were acquitted.
Convicted Under Murder, Rioting and Kidnapping Charges
The court found Tahir Hussain guilty under multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including:
- Section 302 – Murder
- Section 365 – Kidnapping/Abduction
- Section 153A – Promoting enmity between groups
- Sections 147, 148 & 149 – Rioting and unlawful assembly
- Section 188 – Disobedience of lawful orders
However, the court acquitted Tahir Hussain of charges under Section 120B (Criminal Conspiracy) and Section 129 IPC.
The quantum of sentence will be decided after a separate hearing.
The Ankit Sharma Murder Case
The case relates to the communal violence that erupted in North-East Delhi in February 2020, which claimed 53 lives and left hundreds injured.
According to the prosecution, Ankit Sharma, an Intelligence Bureau officer, returned home from work on 25 February 2020 before stepping out again to purchase groceries and household items. When he failed to return, his family launched a search.
His body was later recovered from a drain near Chand Bagh Pulia in the Khajuri Khas area.
The FIR was lodged by his father, Ravinder Kumar, who alleged that his son had been murdered by then AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and his associates.
The post-mortem examination recorded 51 external injuries, allegedly caused by sharp-edged weapons and blunt force trauma.
Investigation and Trial
The Delhi Police Crime Branch investigated the case, relying on witness testimonies, CCTV footage, forensic evidence and other documentary material collected during the probe.
Charges were framed against Tahir Hussain and ten others in March 2023 under provisions relating to:
- Murder
- Rioting
- Unlawful Assembly
- Promoting Enmity
- Kidnapping
- Criminal Conspiracy
- Public Mischief
After hearing evidence over several years, the court convicted five accused while acquitting the remaining six due to insufficient evidence.
Delhi Police Reacts
Following the verdict, Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golchha, who served as Special Commissioner of Police during the 2020 Delhi riots and supervised the investigation, said:
“During the Delhi riots, our primary responsibility was to maintain law and order and ensure a fair, impartial and evidence-based investigation. Every effort was made to collect credible evidence and bring those responsible before the law. With the court delivering its judgment, I feel satisfied that the hard work and professionalism of the investigating team have stood the test of judicial scrutiny. We remain committed to bringing all those responsible for crimes committed during the 2020 riots to justice through the due process of law.”
Political Reactions After the Verdict
The court’s verdict immediately triggered a fresh political confrontation between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
BJP Launches Fresh Attack
BJP leaders described the conviction as validation of their long-standing allegations regarding the 2020 Delhi riots.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that the conviction reflected what he called the role of an “AAP-Congress ecosystem” during the riots. He claimed the violence had been planned rather than spontaneous and accused opposition leaders of defending Tahir Hussain after the riots.
He also referred to other riot-related cases involving accused persons such as Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, alleging that political considerations had shaped the opposition’s public stance.
Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra welcomed the verdict and demanded that former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal publicly apologise. He alleged that the AAP leadership had maintained links with individuals accused in riot-related cases.
Delhi Minister and Karawal Nagar MLA Kapil Mishra also reacted to the judgment, alleging that the 2020 riots were part of a larger conspiracy targeting Hindus and questioned why AAP leaders had allegedly defended Tahir Hussain during the period following the violence.
Delhi Government spokesperson and BJP MLA Harish Khurana echoed similar criticism, alleging that AAP attempted to shield Hussain despite the allegations against him.
AAP’s Response
The Aam Aadmi Party rejected the BJP’s allegations and stated that Tahir Hussain had no association with the party since February 27, 2020, when he was suspended from its primary membership shortly after an FIR was registered against him.
AAP further noted that Hussain later contested the Delhi Assembly elections as a candidate of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and asserted that he had no organisational connection with the party thereafter.
Court to Decide Sentence Later
While the court has held Tahir Hussain and four others guilty, the punishment has not yet been announced. The court will hear arguments from both the prosecution and the defence before deciding the quantum of sentence.
The conviction marks one of the most significant judicial developments in the cases arising out of the 2020 North-East Delhi riots, bringing a major phase of the long-running legal proceedings to a close, while the sentencing hearing remains pending.
