Today, the Delhi High Court was informed that the Delhi Police will challenge the acquittal of six accused in the murder case of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Delhi riots.

Special Counsel for the Delhi Police Rajat Nair made the submission before a Bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Vikas Mahajan while the Court heard an appeal filed by convicts Nazim and Kasim against their convictions.

“State is also preferring an appeal. There are six accused who have been acquitted. We are in process,” Nair told the Court.

The Bench recorded the submission and issued notice to the Delhi Police on the appeal filed by Nazim and Kasim.

The Court listed the matter for further hearing on December 2.

The appeals arise from a trial court judgment dated July 13, which convicted former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain and four others in the murder case. The trial court sentenced the convicts to life imprisonment under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

The trial court convicted Hussain under Sections 188, 153A, 147, 148, 149, 365 and 302 of the IPC. It also convicted Nazim, Kasim, Javed and Anas under the same provisions, while acquitting six other accused.

Ankit Sharma’s father, Ravinder Kumar, filed the FIR on February 26, 2020.

In his complaint, Kumar said anti-CAA and pro-CAA protesters had clashed for several days around Chand Bagh Pulia and Main Karawal Nagar Road. He alleged that the clashes involved stone-pelting, arson, firing and other acts of violence.

Kumar alleged that Tahir Hussain, who was then a municipal councillor, had gathered people at his nearby office. He further alleged that they threw stones and petrol bombs and fired shots from the office rooftop, creating panic in the area.

According to Kumar, Ankit left home on February 25, 2020, to buy household items but failed to return. Locals later informed the family that someone had allegedly killed a young man and thrown his body into the Khajuri Khas drain.

Authorities subsequently recovered Ankit Sharma’s body from the drain near Chand Bagh Pulia.

Kumar alleged that Tahir Hussain and others who had gathered at his office killed his son and threw his body into the drain.