Delhi Riots 2020: Delhi Court frames murder charges against Tahir Hussain, 10 others for death for IB officer Ankit Sharma

A Delhi Court has framed murder charges against former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain in relation to the death of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma, whose body was found in a drain during the Delhi Riots of 2020. [State v. Mohd Tahir Hussain and Ors].Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala said that as per evidence, Tahir Hussain played the role of instigator to kill Hindus and exhorted the mob to "not spare Hindus"."As per evidence, the mob was acting in well prepared manner to attack Hindus and their properties, which signifies existence of prior meeting of their mind. Tahir Hussain also played role of instigator to kill Hindus and exhorting this mob as to not to spare Hindus. He instigated the mob, when Ankit came forward towards this mob," the order stated..In the order pronounced today, the court framed charges against Hussain and ten others. The court said that they are liable to be tried for offences under Sections 147 (Rioting), 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 302 (Murder) read with 120B (Criminal Conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Hussain has also been charged under Sections 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief), 109 (Abetment and 114 (Abettor present when offence is committed) of IPC..The court also said that Hussain was continuously acting to supervise and motivate the mob with a view to targetting Hindus."Every member of the mob assembled there participated in achieving the objective of targeting Hindus. Such conducts of the members of this mob, show that they were acting out of meeting of their mind and with a clear-cut objective in mind, to kill and harm Hindus. Thus, a criminal conspiracy to indulge into riot and to kill Hindus and harm properties of Hindus, is well reflected from the evidence on the record," the court concluded..The First Information Report (FIR) in the matter was registered by Ankit Sharma's father, Ravinder Kumar, on February 26, 2020.He alleged that demonstrations by anti-CAA and pro-CAA protesters went on for 2-3 days at Chand Bagh Pulia, Main Karawal Nagar Road, in which incidents of stone pelting, brick batting, arson, firing and sabotage had taken place from both sides.He claimed that Hussain, the then Municipal Councilor whose office was nearby, had gathered a lot of goons in his office. With their help, he had pelted stones, petrol bombs and also fired shots from the rooftop of the office, creating an atmosphere of fear among the public.Ravinder further alleged that on February 25, 2020, his son went out to buy household goods but did not return for a long time, prompting him to file a missing persons complaint. He was informed by locals that a boy had been thrown into the Khajuri Khas nala from the Masjid of Chand Bagh pulia after he was killed. Subsequently, Ankit's body was recovered from Khajuri Khas nala near Chand Bagh Pulia.In his complaint, Ravinder raised strong suspicion that his son was killed by Tahir Hussain and his goons, who had gathered in his office and after killing his son, threw his body in a drain from the mosque at Chand Bagh..[Read Order]