3 weeks ago
Delhi High Court admits appeals in Ankit Sharma murder case
A long time ago, in 2020, there were big fights between groups of people in a part of Delhi, India, called North-East Delhi.
During those fights, a man named Ankit Sharma, who worked for India's intelligence agency, was badly hurt and sadly died.
The police found some people they believed were responsible, and a court sent them to prison for life.
Life in prison means staying in jail for a very long time.
Two of those people, Nazim and Kasim, think the decision was not fair, so they asked a higher court, the Delhi High Court, to look at their case again.
The High Court agreed to hear their appeal and asked the police to give their opinion.
Their lawyers said there was no proper identification test and the proof was not strong enough.
The police wanted the harshest punishment possible, called the death penalty, but the court did not give that.
Now the judges will think carefully and make a new decision on December 2.
The Delhi High Court admitted the criminal appeals of convicts Nazim and Kasim challenging their life sentences in the murder case of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma and sought the Delhi Police's stand.
A Division Bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Vikas Mahajan issued notice on the convicts' plea seeking suspension of sentence and listed the matter for hearing on December 2.
The appellants argued their conviction cannot be sustained, noting that no test identification parade was conducted and the witness testimony was not corroborated by independent material.
One report says all five convicts, including Nazim and Kasim, were convicted under Section 302 (murder), while another states the two appellants were convicted on the same charges except murder; the State also plans to appeal the acquittal of six accused.
Sharma's body was recovered from a drain in Khajuri Khas on February 26, 2020, after he was allegedly abducted, assaulted and stabbed by a mob during the North-East Delhi riots that claimed 53 lives.
- Who
- Convicts Nazim and Kasim, whose appeals were admitted by a Delhi High Court bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Vikas Mahajan; the case concerns the murder of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma.
- What
- The Delhi High Court admitted the appeals challenging the conviction and life sentences, issued notice to the prosecution, and listed the matter for hearing on December 2.
- Where
- Delhi High Court, New Delhi; the murder occurred in North-East Delhi's Khajuri Khas area near Chand Bagh Pulia, with an FIR lodged at Dayalpur police station.
- When
- The appeals were taken up on Wednesday; the trial court sentenced the five convicts to life imprisonment on July 31, and Sharma was killed during the February 2020 riots.
- Why
- The convicts claim their conviction cannot be sustained due to the lack of a test identification parade and uncorroborated witness testimony, and they are also seeking suspension of their sentences.
Delhi Police (Prosecution)
Defence (Convicts' Lawyers)
Death penalty vs life imprisonment
Delhi Police (Prosecution)
The Delhi Police sought the death penalty, calling Sharma's killing 'cold-blooded' and 'brutal' and citing the 51 injuries found on his body; the trial court instead imposed life imprisonment.
Defence (Convicts' Lawyers)
The defence opposed capital punishment, arguing the case did not fall within the 'rarest of rare' category that warrants the death sentence.
Validity of the conviction
Delhi Police (Prosecution)
The prosecution stands by the trial outcome and said the State will also appeal against the acquittal of six accused persons, whom it believes were also guilty.
Defence (Convicts' Lawyers)
The convicts' counsel argued the conviction cannot be sustained because no test identification parade was conducted and the witness testimony was not corroborated by independent material.
Key facts
- Convicts filing appeals
- Nazim (Criminal Appeal No. 764/2026) and Kasim (Criminal Appeal No. 766/2026)
- Victim
- Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma
- Bench
- Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Vikas Mahajan
- Next hearing
- December 2
- Trial court
- Karkardooma Court; Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh
- All five convicts
- Tahir Hussain, Javed, Anas, Nazim and Kasim - life imprisonment
- Death penalty demand
- Sought by Delhi Police citing 51 injuries; court imposed life imprisonment instead
- Body recovered
- From a drain in Khajuri Khas on February 26, 2020
Quotes
Additional Sessions Judge Praveen Singh
Delhi court judge presiding over the conviction
“"very serious" incident and observed that Sharma was "brutally murdered" and his body was left "like an animal"”
thehansindia.com
“"cold‑blooded" and "brutal" murder”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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