Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain, convicted by a Delhi court in the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 North-East Delhi riots, has seen his political career unravel from being an elected municipal representative to becoming one of the principal accused in one of the capital's most high-profile criminal cases.
The verdict is a major milestone in the investigation into the February 2020 communal violence, which claimed 53 lives and left hundreds injured. Hussain is also among the accused in the larger conspiracy case linked to the riots, which is still pending before a Delhi court.
Hussain entered electoral politics after winning the 2017 Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) election from the Nehru Vihar ward on an AAP ticket. Before joining politics, he ran a business and had projected himself as a local social worker.
His name came under the spotlight after violence erupted in North-East Delhi in February 2020. Investigators alleged that his house was used to stock stones, petrol bombs and other projectiles that were allegedly used during the riots. They also claimed the premises served as a meeting point for those involved in the violence. Hussain has consistently denied all allegations, maintaining that he has been falsely implicated.
He was arrested in connection with the murder of IB officer Ankit Sharma, whose body was recovered from a drain amid the riots. According to the prosecution, Sharma was attacked by a mob before being killed during the violence. On Monday, the court convicted Hussain and four others after finding them guilty of offences including murder and criminal conspiracy. The quantum of sentence is yet to be announced.
Apart from the Ankit Sharma murder case, Hussain is also facing trial in the larger Delhi riots conspiracy case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other penal provisions. He has remained in judicial custody since 2020, except for limited relief granted by courts from time to time.
Soon after his arrest in 2020, the AAP distanced itself from Hussain, suspending him from the party. It later maintained that he had no association with the party.
Reacting to the conviction, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said, "We expelled him from AAP long long back. Didn't he join one of chanda chor party's sister organisation?" The remark was aimed at the BJP while referring to Hussain's subsequent political shift.
In December 2024, Hussain joined the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). While lodged in jail, he contested the 2025 Delhi Assembly election from the Mustafabad constituency after the Supreme Court granted him custody parole to campaign under strict conditions.
The conviction is among the most significant verdicts delivered so far in cases arising out of the 2020 North-East Delhi riots, one of the worst episodes of communal violence witnessed by the national capital in recent years. While the Ankit Sharma murder trial has now reached a conclusion, several other riot-related cases, including the larger conspiracy case, remain pending before Delhi courts.