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Conviction in Delhi Riots: The Case of Ankit Sharma

Tuesday, July 14, 2026
5 min read
Conviction in Delhi Riots: The Case of Ankit Sharma

Nearly six years have passed since Ankit Sharma, an Intelligence Bureau officer, was brutally killed in the 2020 Delhi riots. But some relief finally arrived on Monday. The Karkardooma court convicted former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and four others for their role in that killing.

It’s a heavy thing to process. Even with the verdict, it just drags those painful memories back up.

Back in February 2020, during all that communal violence hitting northeast Delhi, Ankit Sharma was allegedly attacked by a mob. Sharp blows, blunt force he died from head injuries. His body was found later, dumped in a drain in Chand Bagh.

His brother spoke out to the Times of India about it. He said, “He died serving his country, serving its people… I just can’t even describe what they did to him.”

Ankit’s brother insisted he was specifically targeted because of his religion. That pain, he added, stuck with them every single day.

“My brother was on duty when they brutally murdered him,” he recounted, speaking to PTI. “He was serving the country. IB officers don't usually give out their names anyway. He identified himself as a Delhi Police official.”

There was this sense of injustice hanging over everything. His brother recalled that Sharma had been asked by his seniors to check the situation. What was wrong with him? He was just doing his job. They targeted him because of who he was. That feeling never left them.

When talking about the court decision, the family stressed how much it forced them to revisit those harrowing memories. There’s grief. Anger. An emptiness that just won’t fill up. You lose one of your strongest pillars, and no judgment can bring him back.

“They should either be hanged or get the strictest possible punishment for a crime like this,” Sharma’s father stated. He felt the legal process wasn't enough.

The brother pushed harder on that point. “We want every single person involved in my brother’s murder to face the law,” he said to PTI. “Today, only a few got convicted. We want everyone who was involved to be punished.” He made it clear they wanted the harshest sentence possible.

Ankit’s father also touched on the legal journey. For three years, the police conducted inquiries. They helped them somehow during that time. Then, proceedings kept going for another three years. He had to face the court multiple times, cross-examined, but he stood by what he knew was true.

The case started with an FIR at Delhi’s Dayalpur Police Station. Ankit Sharma’s father, Ravinder Kumar, filed the complaint. It said Sharma returned home from work on February 25th before going out to see how things were in the violent area. When he didn't come back, the family searched. They found him in a drain near Chand Bagh Pulia in Khajuri Khas.

The police chargesheet alleged something specific. Tahir Hussain and others gathered at his office and mosque on February 24th and 25th. Investigators claimed Hussain incited that crowd by coloring the violence communally, provoking people against Hindus. The mob intercepted Sharma, dragged him to Chand Bagh Pulia, assaulted him with weapons, and dumped the body in a drain.

This all happened amidst the massive communal chaos of February 2020. Clashes erupted everywhere stone-pelting, burning, vandalism. Fifty-three lives were lost there. Many others got hurt too.

Monday brought the verdict. Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh convicted Hussain along with Nazim, Qasim, Javed, and Anas. But not everyone was found guilty of murder. Six other accused walked free.

As the judgment came down, Tahir Hussain broke down in court while his lawyer tried to calm him down. A former AAP councillor, who had been suspended by the party after his name surfaced in this case, said something heavy: “Insaaf nahi hua hai.” Justice hasn't been done.

Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board

Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.

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