Delhi High Court Denies Bail to Former AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain in 2020 Delhi Riots

Tahir Hussain Murder Case: The Delhi High Court rejected on Thursday the bail application by former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain, in relation to the murder of Intelligence Bureau staffer Ankit Sharma in the February 2020 communal riots that took place in northeast Delhi.

Neena Krishna, Justice Neena Krishna dismissed Hussain’s bail application. She stated, “The order is dismissed “, while announcing the decision. Hussain spent more than five years behind bars for the alleged brutal murder of a young Intelligence Officer.

Tahir Hussain was denied bail by the prosecution, who described it as an egregious case that involved the brutal killing of a young officer in intelligence. Ankit Sharma, according to evidence in court presented at the time, was trying to restore the peace by urging those accused not to take matters into their hands.

In a disturbing court hearing, the details were revealed of Sharma being dragged by his legs and stabbed 51 times with sharp objects before his corpse was dumped in a drain adjacent to it. In denying bail, the court considered the severity and nature of the assault.

Hussain’s lawyer argued that Hussain had spent over five years behind bars and that the court could take a long time to complete the case, despite its best efforts. These arguments did not convince the court, which denied bail to Hussain on March 12 by the trial courts.

Tahir Hussain’s murder is a result of a complaint made by Ravinder K. at Dayalpur Police Station in February 2020. Kumar stated that Ankit Sharma, who worked for the Intelligence Bureau, had been missing since February 25, 2019. Later, residents informed him of the murder and the body being dumped into the Khajuri Khas drainage near the Chand Bagh mosque.

According to the prosecution, Sharma’s corpse was found in the Khajuri Khas drainage with 51 wounds. This shows the brutality of this attack. Tahir Hussain, four others, and alleged violent mob members are named in the murder case.

This case has a direct link to the violent communal clashes in Delhi’s northeast on February 24, 2020. Violence began when tensions escalated between opponents and supporters of the Citizenship Amendment Act, leading to widespread arson and rioting. At least 53 people were killed and scores more were injured in one of the most violent incidents of communal violence in recent decades in the capital.

Tahir Hussain’s murder is one of the more serious cases that have arisen from the Delhi 2020 riots. Denial of bail highlights the seriousness of the accusations and the court’s concern over the nature of the crime perpetrated against the IB officer, who tried to maintain the peace.