HC asks police to reply to Tahir Hussain’s bail plea in IB staffer Ankit Sharma murder case
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought response of the police on a plea by former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain seeking bail in a case relating to the murder of IB staffer Ankit Sharma during the northeast Delhi riots in February 2020.
Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta issued notice to the police on Hussain’s plea challenging a trial court’s December 3 order rejecting his bail application for want of material change in circumstances.
Hussain, in his plea, said the trial has commenced in the case and out of 114, 20 prosecution witnesses have been examined so far and that he has been in jail for the last four years and nine months.
The plea, filed through advocate Tara Narula, said the applicant has suffered a long period of incarceration and since there are a large number of witnesses to be examined, the trial is unlikely to be concluded soon.
The petition stated that the co-accused persons allegedly involved in the riotous mob and committing the offence of murder have already been granted bail by the high court.
According to the prosecution, on February 26, 2020, complainant Ravinder Kumar informed the Dayalpur police station officials that his son Ankit Sharma, who was posted in the Intelligence Bureau, was missing since February 25, 2020.
He later came to know from some locals that a person had been thrown into the Khajuri Khas drain from the mosque of Chand Bagh pulia after being murdered.
The prosecution alleged that Sharma’s body was recovered from the Khajuri Khas drain and there were 51 injuries on his body.
Hussain is one of the accused in the case.
According to the prosecution, the four accused persons were also part of the violent mob which was involved in the acts of rioting and arson, which killed Sharma.
Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24, 2020, after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and scores injured.
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Two arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting woman at knifepoint in Kochi
Kochi (PTI): Two persons have been arrested after a three-member gang allegedly sexually assaulted a woman at knifepoint near Ernakulam Junction Railway station, officials said on Friday.
The arrested accused were identified as Danish (26), a native of Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram district, and Rahul (39), a native of Paravoor in Kollam district.
Police officials said they were searching for the prime accused, Sanjay, a native of Aroor in Alappuzha district.
According to police, the incident occurred on the night of May 5 when the victim was chatting with her friend near a closed hotel near Ernakulam Junction Railway station.
Officials said the accused approached them, attacked the victim’s friend and then allegedly threatened the woman with a knife before sexually assaulting her.
Police said the accused also allegedly disrobed the victim during the attack.
However, the woman managed to escape from the spot and approached a nearby shop for help.
Police were informed immediately and shifted the victim to the police station.
Officials said the accused were heavily drunk at the time of the incident and went into hiding soon after the attack.
Police registered a case on May 6 under charges including rape, disrobing a woman, criminal intimidation and robbery.
The two accused were later arrested in the city, while efforts are continuing to trace Sanjay, police said.
The accused were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.
