Delhi Court Sentences Ex-Councillor Tahir Hussain to Life for Murder

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta lauded the decision, positioning it as a triumph for the judiciary while turning her focus toward AAP leadership. She demanded that Arvind Kejriwal address allegations that Hussain operated with his tacit approval, questioning why party figures previously defended the councillor following his arrest. The sentencing has emboldened local BJP figures, including MP Manoj Tiwari and MLA Harish Khurana, who called for a public apology from AAP, accusing the party of shielding a man they now identify as a riot mastermind.

AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar countered the criticism by highlighting that Hussain was expelled from the party immediately upon the registration of the criminal case. She redirected the narrative toward the BJP, alleging that the party had once attempted to recruit Hussain for a candidacy in Mustafabad after his departure from AAP. Despite the legal conclusion, the family of Ankit Sharma expressed profound disappointment with the court’s decision. They had consistently petitioned for capital punishment, arguing that the brutality of the murder warranted the rarest of the rare classification under Indian law. Hussain, for his part, signaled his intent to challenge the conviction in the High Court.