Delhi riots: Ex-AAP councilor Tahir Hussain gets life imprisonment
What's the story
Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councilor Tahir Hussain has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Delhi riots. The verdict was pronounced by Delhi's Karkardooma court, which described the crime as "of utmost brutality." The court noted that "the savagery did not end with the murder," referring to how Sharma's body was dragged into a drain nearby.
Judicial remarks
Court weighs mitigating circumstances against brutality of crime
The court also observed that "the crime tilts toward the rarest of rare."
It weighed mitigating circumstances such as Hussain's educational background and susceptibility to misinformation against the brutality of the crime.
The court concluded that the prosecution had failed to establish that Hussain was beyond reform or that his continued imprisonment for life was necessary because he would remain a threat to society.
Public response
Hussain's lawyer argues he was part of the crowd
Delhi Law Minister Kapil Mishra welcomed the sentence, calling it "the beginning of justice." He hoped the high court would convert Hussain's life imprisonment into a death penalty.
Meanwhile, Hussain's lawyer argued he was merely part of the crowd and not directly involved in the crime.
The former AAP councilor vowed to continue fighting for justice.
Political fallout
Political reactions to verdict
Hussain was suspended from the AAP after his arrest in connection with the riots.
The verdict has sparked political reactions, with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta demanding answers from AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh, and Manish Sisodia.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya called Hussain a "close associate" of Kejriwal.
In response to this, Kejriwal said that Hussain was expelled long ago and questioned his association with other parties.