After filing two chargesheets on Tuesday in connection with the North East Delhi riots which wreaked havoc in the national capital for over three days in February earlier this year, the Delhi Police Crime Branch on Wednesday filed another charge sheet against suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and fourteen others for allegedly murdering Intelligence Bureau (IB) staffer Ankit Sharma.
Sharma, whose body was found in a drain in Chand Bagh on February 26, was stabbed 51 times, the chargesheet read. It further said that there was a "deep-rooted conspiracy" to cause the riots in Delhi and that Hussain played a "pivotal" role in it.
"Fifteen persons, including Tahir Hussain, have been arrested in this case. Investigation has revealed that there was a deep-rooted conspiracy to cause riots in North East Delhi. Tahir Hussain, a politician of Aam Aadmi Party and sitting councillor in EDMC, Delhi, played a pivotal role in the incident," read the chargesheet.
The chargesheet said that only a day prior to the riots, Hussain got his pistol released from PS. Khajuri Khas, and it was with him during the riots. The Delhi Police had seized the pistol during the investigation.
"He was found connected to Khalid Saifi and Umar Khalid who are part of a larger group of persons who were organizing riots and protests in Delhi. Recovery of crates containing glass bottles having some liquid filled in them and their necks stuffed with pieces of cloth, which were used/to be used as Molotov cocktails, large number of bricks and stone pieces and three catapults from the house of accused Tahir Hussain further point towards the conspiracy and the extent of preparation for causing riots in the area," read the Delhi Police Crime Branch's chargesheet.
According to a report in The Print, a police officer claimed, Hussain did not kill Sharma, but "planned the murder and got it executed" as he was a "familiar face in the area". The report also said that the former AAP leader was getting regular updates on his phone and that his mobile phone location showed that he was in the house next to Sharma's when he was murdered. “We have enough electronic, forensic proof to establish our claims,” a senior police officer said.
Meanwhile, the police have also recovered the murder weapon and the blood-stained clothes of the culprit. During investigation, the blood stained knife used to stab Ankit Sharma and the blood stained clothes of the killer (with Sharma’s blood) were recovered,” the police said. The police also has a found a witness who was on his terrace when some people dumped Sharma's body. The person has reportedly captured a video of the same.
Delhi Crime Branch's another chargesheet was in connection with the incident near the Jafarabad Metro Station in which 12 people, including two activists of Pinjra Tod Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita, were arrested.
"Twelve persons were arrested in the case. Investigation has revealed that there was a deep rooted conspiracy to cause riots in North East Delhi. The list of arrested accused persons includes the names of Ms. Natasha Narwal and Ms. Devangana Kalita. Both Natasha and Devangana belong to "Pinjratod Group" and were actively involved in hatching the conspiracy to cause riots in Jafrabad Metro Station, Delhi. They were also part of a larger conspiracy and were found to be connected to the "India Against Hate" group and Umar Khalid," read the chargesheet.
At least 53 people had died in the North East Delhi riots.
