Delhi High Court Responds to Bail Request from Former AAP Councillor in Ankit Sharma Murder Case

New Delhi, Dec 24 (NationPress) On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Delhi Police concerning a bail application submitted by ex-Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain. This plea is related to the murder case of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma, which occurred amid the 2020 North-East Delhi riots.

A bench led by Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta requested a response from the Delhi Police regarding Hussain's plea, which challenges the trial court's December 3 ruling that denied his bail request.

The court will revisit the case on January 15 next year.

In March 2023, charges of murder were formally laid against Tahir Hussain in this matter.

Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala from the Karkardooma Courts had framed charges against a total of 11 individuals, including Hussain, indicating their trial for offenses under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC): Sections 147 (Rioting), 148 (Rioting with a deadly weapon), 153A (Promoting enmity based on religion, race, or residence), and 302 (Murder) in conjunction with 120B (Criminal Conspiracy).

Moreover, Hussain faces charges under sections 505, 109, and 114 of the IPC.

The trial court noted that Hussain allegedly incited a mob to attack Hindus, urging them to “not spare them.”

On February 26, 2020, an FIR was filed by Sharma's father, Ravinder Kumar, alleging that protests from both anti-CAA and pro-CAA groups escalated over two to three days at Chand Bagh Pulia, located on Main Karawal Nagar Road.

“On February 25, 2020, my son left to purchase household items but didn’t return for quite some time,” he claimed.

Locals later informed Kumar that a young man had been thrown into the Khajuri Khas nala from the Chand Bagh mosque. Eventually, Sharma's body was retrieved from the drain. Kumar has accused Hussain and his associates of being behind Sharma's death.

Hussain is requesting bail, arguing that he should be treated similarly to accused individuals Shoaib Alam, Gulfam, and Javed, who were granted bail in May this year citing delays in the trial’s initiation.

In the meantime, the Delhi BJP has criticized AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi for nominating Tahir Hussain as a candidate from the Mustafabad constituency for the upcoming Assembly elections.

This decision has provoked significant backlash from the BJP, which accused AIMIM of being the AAP's “B-team” and cautioned against any attempts to incite communal tensions in the nation’s capital.

BJP State Vice President Kapil Mishra condemned Owaisi and other “secular parties” for allegedly stirring up Hindu sentiments in Delhi through Hussain's candidacy.

“This is a blatant effort to disturb the peace in Delhi. Previously, protests at Shaheen Bagh occurred before elections. Should there be any riots instigated in the name of Tahir Hussain this time, there will be repercussions,” Mishra warned.