New Delhi: In a landmark judgment pertaining to the Delhi riots of 2020, the Delhi court on July 13, Monday convicted former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain and four others for the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma. While holding guilty of murder, rioting and promoting communal enmity, the court acquitted Tahir Hussain & others on the charge of criminal conspiracy. The verdict comes more than six years after Sharma was brutally killed.
IB official Ankit Sharma murder case: Delhi's Karkardooma court convicted Tahir Hussain in Ankit Sharma murder case and other offences rioting etc. Criminal Conspiracy has been dropped against him.
Ankit Sharma was murdered during the North East Delhi riots of 2020.
The court… pic.twitter.com/6wMADxZ1pw
— ANI (@ANI) July 13, 2026
Court holds Tahir Hussain guilty of murder, Imposes conspiracy charges on 4 others
Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh, convicted AAP councillor Tahir Hussain under multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Sections 302 (murder), 365 (kidnapping), 153A (promoting enmity between religious groups), 147, 148 and 149 (rioting and unlawful assembly), as well as Section 188.
Alongside Hussain, the court also convicted Javed, Anas, Nazim and Kasim for their role in the murder of IB Officer Ankit Sharma. While hearing the case against 11 accused, six were convicted and the court acquitted 11 others as it was found that the evidence against them is insufficient to sustain a conviction.
According to reports from the courtroom, Hussain broke down in tears after the judgment was pronounced. Sentencing in the case will take place after the court hears arguments on the quantum of punishment.
Brutal killing of IB Officer during 2020 Delhi Riots
The case was registered at the Dayalpur Police Station based on a complaint filed by Ankit Sharma’s father following the 2020 riots. Accordingly, Sharma, an Intelligence Bureau officer, left his residence at around 5 PM on February 25, to purchase groceries and other household essentials but never returned. When repeated attempts to contact him failed, his family filed a missing person complaint.
His body was later recovered from a drain near Chand Bagh Pulia and was declared dead at Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) hospital. The post-mortem examination revealed the extreme brutality of the attack. Doctors recorded 51 external injuries inflicted by sharp-edged weapons and blunt force, with wounds on his head, face, chest, back and waist.
Sharma’s father reiterated in his complaint that Tahir Hussain and his associates were responsible for his son’s murder. Thus, police launched an investigation. In March 2023, the trial court framed charges against Tahir Hussain, Haseen, Nazim, Kasim, Sameer Khan, Anas, Firoz, Javed, Gulfam, Shoaib Alam and Muntajim. During the course of the trial, Hussain’s plea for bail was rejected by the Delhi High Court in September last year, citing the gravity of the case.
