New Delhi, August 12: In a significant development, Nazim and Qasim, convicted for life imprisonment in the murder of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma during the Northeast Delhi riots of 2020, have appealed the lower court’s decision in the Delhi High Court.
On July 31, the Karkardooma Court sentenced both men, alongside former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain, to life imprisonment.
The case dates back to February 2020, when Ankit Sharma was brutally killed amid the riots in Northeast Delhi. His body was discovered in a drain in the Chandbagh area, with the post-mortem report revealing over 40 injuries on his body.
Following the sentencing, Tahir Hussain claimed he would challenge the verdict in the High Court, expressing hope for justice. Now, both Nazim and Qasim have also sought recourse in the High Court.
Ankit Sharma’s brother, Ankur Sharma, expressed disappointment that the court did not impose the death penalty on the five convicted individuals. He stated that the family would continue to fight if the case escalates to the Delhi High Court or the Supreme Court. “We believed this case should be classified as one of the ‘rarest of rare’ cases, warranting the harshest punishment. We wanted the death penalty,” he said.
While acknowledging the court’s justice, Ankur Sharma insisted that Tahir Hussain should have received the death sentence.
On the other hand, Tahir Hussain’s lawyer, Tara Narula, confirmed their intention to appeal the court’s decision. She noted that while the court recognized the brutality of Ankit Sharma’s murder, it also found no direct evidence linking any of the convicts to dragging him or using a weapon against him. “We will approach the High Court, and we are hopeful that our case will be strong there,” she added.
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