A Delhi court has postponed the verdict announcement in the murder case of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma, who was killed during the 2020 North-East Delhi riots. The Karkardooma Court, which was scheduled to deliver its verdict, has rescheduled it to June 11. The case involves former Aam Aadmi Party Councillor Tahir Hussain and 10 other accused.
The incident revolves around the killing of IB officer Ankit Sharma, whose body was found in a drain in the Khajuri Khas area on February 26, 2020, amidst widespread communal violence in North-East Delhi. The prosecution alleges that Hussain and the co-accused were part of an illegal assembly and conspiracy that resulted in Sharma’s death during the riots.
In March 2023, the Karkardooma Court framed charges against 11 accused, including Hussain, stating that they were to be tried for offenses under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. Hussain was additionally charged under other sections of the IPC. The trial court noted that Hussain purportedly urged the mob to target Hindus and encouraged them to “not spare them.”
The case originated from an FIR filed on February 26, 2020, based on a complaint by Sharma’s father, Ravinder Kumar. He reported that his son went missing after heading out to buy household items on February 25. Subsequently, Sharma’s body was discovered in the drain, leading Kumar to accuse Hussain and his associates of his son’s murder.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court rejected Hussain’s bail plea in the case. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, on a single-judge Bench, dismissed the application after reviewing the allegations and evidence presented.
