Delhi HC grants bail to three accused in IB staffer Ankit Sharma's murder case

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted bail to three accused in connection with Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma murder case.

Justice Navin Chawla granted bail to Shoaib Alam, Gulfam, and Javed, accused of Sharma's murder during the 2020 North-East Delhi riots.

The court denied bail to Nazim.

In March last year, a Delhi Court had framed murder charges against former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain in the case.

Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala of Karkardooma Courts had framed charges against 11 people, including Hussain and said that they are liable to be tried for offences under Sections 147 (Rioting), 148 (Rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 302 (Murder) read with 120B (Criminal Conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Hussain and Nazim were also charged under sections 505, 109 and 114 of IPC, and section 25 of the Arms Act, respectively.

The trial court had noted that Hussain was the one who encouraged the mob to kill Hindus and urged them to "not spare them".

On February 26, 2020, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered by Sharma's father, Ravinder Kumar alleging that demonstrations by anti-CAA and pro-CAA protesters went on for two-three days at Chand Bagh Pulia, Main Karawal Nagar Road.

"On February 25, 2020, my son went out to buy household goods but did not return for a long time," he alleged.

Kumar was informed by locals that a boy had been thrown into the Khajuri Khas nullah from the Masjid of Chand Bagh Pulia after he was killed.

Kumar has alleged Hussain's and his goons' hand behind Sharma's murder.