Delhi Riots: Two Convicted in IB Officer Ankit Sharma Murder Challenge Life Sentences in High Court
NEW DELHI: Two men sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 North East Delhi riots have filed an appeal in the Delhi High Court challenging their conviction and sentence.
The convicts, identified as Nazim and Kasim, were among five persons found guilty by the Karkardooma Court in Delhi. The trial court convicted them on July 13 and sentenced them to life imprisonment on July 31. The other convicts include former Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) councillor Tahir Hussain.
Nazim and Kasim's brother, Mohammad Asif, has alleged that the duo were falsely implicated in the case. Speaking to a news agency, Asif claimed that his brothers had no connection with Hussain and were not present at the scene when the incident occurred.
"We will appeal in the High Court. One of my brothers, the younger one, Kasim, lived in the village. The other one too had gone to the village two days before the incident. Tahir Hussain's house is very far away; we had no connection at all," Asif said.
The appeal comes in a case that drew widespread attention due to Sharma's role as an Intelligence Bureau officer. Sharma was killed during the communal violence that erupted in North East Delhi in February 2020. His body was later recovered from a drain in the Dayal Pur area, sparking outrage and demands for a thorough investigation.
The trial in the case was watched closely, with multiple witnesses and significant evidence presented by the prosecution. The court's verdict in July held the five accused guilty of charges including murder and criminal conspiracy. The sentencing of Tahir Hussain, a former politician, added a political dimension to the case, though the court's decision was based on evidence presented during the trial.
Legal experts say that the appeal process is a fundamental right of any convict, and the High Court will examine the evidence, the trial court's reasoning, and the legal validity of the conviction. The High Court has not yet scheduled a hearing for the appeal.
The case remains a reminder of the violence and loss of life during the Delhi riots, which left over 50 people dead. The appeal filed by Nazim and Kasim will be part of the ongoing judicial scrutiny of the events and the accountability of those involved.
As the legal process unfolds, the families of the victims and the convicts await the High Court's judgment. The appeal is expected to be heard in the coming months, with both the prosecution and the defence preparing their arguments.
This report is based on information available from court records and public statements. The claims made by the convicts' family have not been independently verified.
