A Delhi court on Friday sentenced former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain to life imprisonment in the murder case of Intelligence Bureau (IB) official Ankit Sharma, who was killed during the Northeast Delhi riots in February 2020. Four other convicts were also awarded life imprisonment by the Karkardooma Court.

The sentencing was pronounced by Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh, days after the court had reserved its order following arguments from both the prosecution and the defence. Hussain and the four co-accused were convicted on July 13 in connection with Sharma's murder.

Ankit Sharma was killed during the communal violence that erupted in northeast Delhi in February 2020. His mutilated body was later found from a drain in the Dayalpur area, making the case one of the most high-profile investigations linked to the riots.

During the sentencing hearing, the prosecution had sought the death penalty for Hussain and the other convicts, describing the murder as a "rarest of rare" case. Special Public Prosecutor Madhukar Pandey argued that the killing was cold-blooded, deliberate and carried out with a heavy cutting weapon. He also told the court that Sharma had suffered 51 injuries, seven of which were sufficient to cause death.

The prosecution further argued that the murder should not be viewed in isolation, pointing to the larger context of the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots in which 53 people lost their lives. It submitted that Hussain, who was serving as an MCD councillor at the time, had a duty to protect citizens rather than participate in unlawful activities.

The defence, however, opposed the plea for capital punishment, arguing that the case did not fall within the "rarest of rare" category. Counsel for Hussain maintained that he had been convicted based on common intention and vicarious liability, while contending that the prosecution had failed to establish a criminal conspiracy during the trial.

The defence also cited Hussain's family circumstances, including his three children, elderly father and the family's dependence on rental income, while seeking leniency in sentencing. Lawyers representing the other convicts also urged the court to consider their personal circumstances.

After considering submissions from both sides, the Karkardooma Court awarded life imprisonment to Tahir Hussain and the four other convicts in the murder case of IB officer Ankit Sharma.