Tahir Hussain appeals conviction in Ankit Sharma murder case

Former Aam Aadmi Party Councillor Tahir Hussain has approached the Delhi High Court to challenge his conviction and life sentence in the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) staffer Ankit Sharma. The murder occurred in the Dayal Pur area during the 2020 North East Delhi riots.

On July 31, the Karkardooma Court sentenced Hussain and four others—Javed, Anas, Nazim, and Kasim—to life imprisonment. The trial court described the crime as heinous and barbaric, noting that the victim's body was dragged and later recovered from a drain. While the prosecution sought the death penalty, the judge ruled that the case did not meet the 'rarest of rare' criteria for capital punishment, as there was no evidence of a prior violent disposition among the convicts.

Hussain was also ordered to pay a fine of Rs. 5 lakh. The appeal is expected to be listed for hearing in the coming week.