A Delhi court on Monday, 27 July reserved its order on the quantum of sentence to be imposed on former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain and four co-convicts in the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 North-East Delhi riots. Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Praveen Singh of the Karkardooma Court announced that the sentencing order will be pronounced on 31 July, following detailed submissions from both prosecution and defence.

Delhi Police Push for Death Penalty

Delhi Police urged the court to award the death penalty, characterising Sharma's killing as a 'cold-blooded' and 'brutal' murder. The prosecution pointed to 51 injuries found on Sharma's body as evidence of extreme brutality, arguing that the severity of the assault warranted the maximum punishment.

The police counsel submitted before the court: 'Those who want mercy should also show mercy. They have no evidence to show that any mercy was shown by any person to carry this person to a hospital.' The prosecution further contended that every member of a violent mob bears responsibility for crimes committed by that unlawful assembly, and that Hussain — rather than participating — should have acted to save Sharma.

Defence Arguments Against Capital Punishment

Counsel representing Hussain and co-convicts Nazir, Asim, Javed, and Anas argued that the case did not fall within the 'rarest of rare' category required to justify a death sentence. The defence noted that after examining 91 witnesses, the court convicted only five of 11 accused and acquitted the remaining six — indicating the prosecution's case was not accepted in its entirety.

The defence further argued that no evidence of criminal conspiracy under Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was established during the trial. It was also contended that while Hussain's presence in the area had been established, he was not at the exact spot where Sharma was killed, and no evidence linked him to a conspiracy to murder the IB officer. The defence additionally submitted that Hussain had himself called the police during the violence, and urged the court to consider the possibility of his reformation.

Conviction and Charges

Earlier in July 2025, the Karkardooma Court convicted Hussain, Javed, Anas, Nazim, and Kasim in the murder case, holding them guilty of offences including murder, kidnapping, rioting, and promoting enmity between different groups. In its detailed judgment, the court held Hussain guilty under Sections 302 (murder), 365 (kidnapping), 188 (disobedience to public servant's order), 153A (promoting enmity on grounds of religion), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with a deadly weapon), and 149 of the IPC. All five convicts were, however, acquitted of the criminal conspiracy charge under Section 120B.

Background: The Killing of Ankit Sharma

The case centres on the death of IB officer Ankit Sharma, whose body was recovered from a drain in the Khajuri Khas area on 26 February 2020, during the communal violence that engulfed North-East Delhi. According to the prosecution, Sharma was caught in clashes near his residence on 25 February 2020 when violence broke out near the Chand Bagh Pulia. He was allegedly abducted by a mob, assaulted, stabbed multiple times, and his body dumped in a nearby drain.

An FIR was registered at the Dayalpur police station on the complaint of Sharma's father, Ravinder Kumar, who stated that his son had stepped out to purchase household items and never returned. The North-East Delhi riots of February 2020 claimed 53 lives, left several others injured, and caused property damage worth crores of rupees.

The sentencing order, due on 31 July, will determine whether the court accepts the prosecution's case for capital punishment or opts for a lesser sentence — a decision that carries profound implications for riot-related accountability in India.