BusinessGold futures drop to Rs 1,44,022 per 10g on weak spot demand Vamsikrishna1 hour ago01 mins mins Source link Post navigation Previous: Manushi Chhillar opens up on her tough phase after NEET paper leak in 2015: ‘You wonder how much more you have left to give, had to sacrifice everything’Next: NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Friday sentenced former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and four others to life imprisonment for the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, rejecting the prosecution’s plea for the death penalty after holding that it had failed to prove the convicts were beyond the possibility of reformation.Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh pronounced the sentence after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and the defence on the quantum of punishment. The court said the prosecution had not established that the case met the threshold for awarding capital punishment, even though it had convicted Hussain and four others for Sharma’s murder earlier this month.The judgment was delivered in the physical presence of Hussain and the other convicts amid tight security at Delhi’s Karkardooma Court.Why the court awarded life imprisonment instead of deathWhile the Delhi Police had argued that the case fell within the “rarest of rare” category warranting capital punishment, the court concluded that the prosecution had not proved that the convicts were incapable of reform, a key principle laid down by the Supreme Court for awarding the death penalty.Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh observed that the prosecution was unable to establish that the convicts were beyond reformation, leading the court to impose life imprisonment instead.The prosecution had sought the death penalty for Hussain and the four co-convicts, arguing that the murder was brutal, deliberate and carried out without any provocation.Prosecution sought death penaltyDuring the sentencing hearing, Special Public Prosecutor Madhukar Pandey described the crime as “anti-social and abhorrent” and argued that it qualified as one of the “rarest of rare” cases.Pandey told the court that Sharma was subjected to a cold-blooded and savage attack with a heavy cutting weapon and that the killing could not be viewed in isolation because it occurred during the northeast Delhi riots in which 53 people lost their lives.According to the prosecution, Sharma sustained 51 injuries, seven of which were independently sufficient to cause death.The prosecution further submitted that the convicts acted without provocation and displayed complete disregard for the consequences of their actions.Earlier, Pandey had argued that the accused had fallen to the “level of being animals” while assaulting Sharma and said:”Those who are asking for mercy today should have shown mercy themselves. No mercy was shown from anyone’s side. No one even took Ankit to the hospital. They are asking for mercy after committing such a brutal murder.”The prosecution also argued that Hussain, being an elected municipal councillor at the time, had a greater responsibility to protect citizens instead of becoming part of the unlawful assembly.Defence argued case did not qualify as ‘rarest of rare’The defence, however, urged the court to show leniency, arguing that not every murder warranted capital punishment and that aggravating and mitigating circumstances must both be considered.Senior advocate Rajiv Mohan, appearing for Hussain, argued that six of the eleven accused in the case had already been acquitted and that the prosecution had failed to establish any conspiracy during the trial.The defence maintained that Hussain’s conviction rested on his membership of an unlawful assembly and common intention rather than evidence showing he personally inflicted fatal injuries on Sharma.The counsel further argued that there had been no preparation or conspiracy, that Sharma had been attacked by a large crowd during widespread rioting and that Hussain’s conduct during custody had remained satisfactory.Advocate Tara Narula also urged the court to consider Hussain’s family circumstances, submitting that he had three children, an elderly father and that his wife was a homemaker dependent on rental income.Counsel representing the other convicts similarly pleaded for leniency, citing their family responsibilities and arguing that both communities had been involved in the violence.The court, however, rejected several of the defence’s contentions before pronouncing the sentence.Court’s conviction orderOn July 13, the court convicted Hussain and four others for Sharma’s murder.In its conviction order, the court held that Hussain was a member of a heavily armed mob that had assembled with animus against Hindus to commit rioting, arson and looting before murdering Sharma in what it described as a “savage and relentless assault.”The court further held that the prosecution had proved members of the unlawful assembly knew that pursuing their common object could result in death.Murder during Delhi riotsAnkit Sharma, an Intelligence Bureau officer, was killed during the northeast Delhi riots in February 2020 in the Dayalpur area. His mutilated body was later recovered from a drain.Hussain was convicted under Sections 302 (murder), 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine a person), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon), 153A (promoting enmity) and 188 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code, read with Section 149 relating to unlawful assembly.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesWith Friday’s sentencing order, Hussain and the four co-convicts will serve life imprisonment, while the court’s decision underscores that despite the brutality of the crime, the legal threshold required for imposing the death penalty was not met because the prosecution failed to prove they were beyond the possibility of reformation.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner’My Father Was Almost Lynched’: Injured Delhi Cop’s Daughter Emotional Appeal After Violence | Watch’Cracks Appeared Hours Before Collapse’ Rescue Teams Search For Survivors In Maharashtra’s BhiwandiCJP’s Saurav Das Says Abusive Remarks Deserve Defamation Cases, Not Criminal Prosecution | WatchRajya Sabha Passes Anti-Paper Leak Law As PM Modi Vows Zero Tolerance Against Exam MafiasPM Modi Releases New Selfie Video On Instagram As Rajya Sabha Clears Anti-Paper Leak BillAfter ‘Gau-Mutra Expert’ Remark, Priyanka Gandhi Gets Scathing Open Letter From 200+ Academicians‘Cut Shudra’s Tongue If…’: Kharge Quotes ‘Translated Manusmriti’ In RS; Sudhanshu, Nadda Hit BackAssam Flood Death Toll Rises To 78 As Over Three Lakh Remain Affected Despite Receding WatersHockey India’s Saffron Jersey Sparks Massive Row As Olympians, Critics Question Iconic Blue Identity123PhotostoriesFriendship Day Cards 2026: Best friendship day greeting card images to share with your friends7 traditional Kashmiri breads and what makes them so specialInside Archana Puran Singh’s 75-year-old Dehradun home: A lush garden, vintage interiors and a massive living roomThese 8 ancient Indian foods were considered medicine before modern nutrition existedThinking of taking Priorin for hair loss? 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