NEW DELHI: Former AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain has approached the Delhi High Court, seeking bail in connection with the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 North-East Delhi riots. Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta has issued a notice to the Delhi Police to respond to Hussain’s plea.
Hussain’s bail was previously denied by a trial court in December, citing insufficient changes in circumstances.
In his petition to the High Court, Hussain argued that he has already been in custody for nearly five years and claimed that the trial is unlikely to conclude soon. He contended that the trial court ignored the principle that bail should be the rule, not the exception, particularly given the prolonged incarceration.
Hussain emphasised discrepancies in witness testimonies, noting that several public eyewitnesses failed to support the prosecution’s case or gave statements that lacked credibility. Furthermore, he pointed out that other co-accused individuals, allegedly more directly involved in the crime, have already been granted bail.
The case against Hussain stems from an FIR lodged at the Dayalpur police station, based on a complaint from Ankit Sharma’s father. Sharma, an IB staffer, went missing on February 25, 2020, during the riots, and his body was later found in a drain near Chand Bagh.
A post-mortem revealed 51 injuries caused by sharp and blunt objects. Hussain and several others face charges under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including murder, rioting, and conspiracy, as well as sections under the Arms Act. The charges were framed by the trial court last year.
Hussain’s legal team has highlighted the inconsistencies in evidence against him.