NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Friday welcomed the Karkardooma Court’s verdict sentencing former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and four other convicts to life imprisonment in the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, even as the ruling BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party traded fresh allegations over the case.The chief minister questioned AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal over his alleged support for Hussain, asking whether “individuals like Tahir Hussain conspire to incite riots with his tacit approval” and demanded an explanation from the former chief minister.In a post on X, Gupta said the verdict had strengthened public faith in the judiciary.“We welcome the Hon’ble Court’s verdict sentencing former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain and five other convicts to life imprisonment for the murder of IB officer Ankit Sharma. Today, the people of Delhi demand answers from the Aam Aadmi Party. Tahir Hussain was arrested on murder charges, yet Kejriwal ji and Manish Sisodia continued to stand by him and made persistent efforts to shield him! Why? Will Kejriwal ji explain this to the people of Delhi? Did individuals like Tahir Hussain conspire to incite riots with his tacit approval?” Gupta said in her post.“Justice has prevailed today. This verdict further strengthens the faith of every citizen in the country in the law and the judiciary,” she added.Earlier in the day, the Karkardooma Court awarded life imprisonment to Hussain and four other convicts in the murder case of Ankit Sharma, who was killed during the February 2020 northeast Delhi riots.Reacting to the verdict, Hussain said, “I will get justice from the High Court.”BJP MLA Harish Khurana also welcomed the verdict and said Sharma’s family would have found some relief after the court’s decision.“I believe the law has taken its course, and Ankit Sharma’s family must feel some sense of relief today. Questions arise regarding those who viewed Tahir Hussain through the prism of a specific religion and attempted to portray him as innocent. There was an attempt to give him the benefit of the doubt, an assumption that, simply because he belonged to a particular religion, he must be innocent. Recall the actions of Arvind Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh, and members of the Congress party; consider how they tried to defend him. Tahir Hussain was a close associate of Arvind Kejriwal, a councillor from his own party. Today, I ask these individuals: Will they apologise to the nation?…” Khurana told ANI.BJP MP Manoj Tiwari described the judgment as a “victory for justice” and said AAP leaders should apologise for fielding Hussain as a councillor.“The 2020 Delhi riots took place in my parliamentary constituency. Today, the mastermind of the Delhi riots, Tahir Hussain, and his associates have been sentenced to life imprisonment. I view this as a victory for justice; while serving as an Aam Aadmi Party councillor, he committed such a horrific murder and conspired to incite such brutal riots. Today, AAP leaders should come forward and apologise for the kind of people they chose as councillors... The court’s decision to sentence Tahir Hussain and his associates to life imprisonment has strengthened faith in the justice system. Although those who witnessed the Delhi riots firsthand had hoped for an even harsher punishment, this brings great satisfaction–the victory of justice has begun,” Tiwari said.Meanwhile, Ankit Sharma’s brother expressed disappointment that the convicts were awarded life imprisonment instead of the death penalty.“Our demand from the very beginning was that the court should treat my brother’s case as the ‘rarest of the rare’ and award the harshest punishment, which is the death penalty. We were expecting capital punishment,” he said.Delhi’s Karkardooma Court on Friday sentenced former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and four co-convicts to life imprisonment in the murder case of IB officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 northeast Delhi riots.(With agency inputs)
