![\"Tahir](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-47529300,imgsize-110164,width-400,height-225,resizemode-75\/47529300.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nNew Delhi: Monday\u2019s conviction of former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain<\/a> and four others for the murder of IB officer Ankit Sharma<\/a> marks the first conviction for murder in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots cases even as dozens of other murder prosecutions continue to make their way through the courts.The riots broke out in Feb 2020. 53 people were killed, several others were injured and property worth crores was damaged.The verdict has brought renewed attention to the wait of families of the 52 others who were killed. More than 700 FIRs were registered for murder, rioting, conspiracy, arson and vandalism during the riots.The bulk of the murder trials, however, have ended in acquittals at trial courts. Most recently, on June 2, Judge Parveen Kumar Singh acquitted the accused in the alleged murder of a man named Anwar in Shiv Vihar, Karawal Nagar, questioning the credibility of the prosecution\u2019s key witness. The court observed that his testimony was not very trustworthy \u201cfor a simple reason that it is very late that he appeared as witness\u201d.<\/span>In April, the court acquitted 12 accused in the murder of Musharraf at Johripur Pulia. The court found a \u201csignificant difference in their versions about where the deceased was beaten and how they observed the incident.\u201dTill Hussain\u2019s conviction, only one person was convicted in a riot-related murder case, under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), in 2024.Among the major murder prosecutions still pending is the case relating to the killing of Head Constable <\/span>Ratan Lal<\/span>, who died while deployed in Maujpur during the violence.<\/span>Across several acquittals, the special riots courts have repeatedly criticised the quality of investigation, referring to \u201cartificial\u201d witnesses and allegedly \u201cfabricated\u201d evidence. In one such case, Judge Pulastya Pramachala acquitted 12 people accused of murdering Hashim Ali, holding that the prosecution had produced only \u201cfragments and pieces of evidence\u201d as circumstantial proof.With two courts designated to hear only riots-related cases, criminal trials have over the years been heard by judges Vinod Yadav, Virender Bhatt, Pulastya Pramachala and, at present, Additional Sessions Judge Singh. <\/span>Charges have now been framed in all the murder cases.<\/span>Meanwhile, Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra welcomed the verdict, and attacked Aam Aadmi Party alleging that it had \u201ca strong bond with several anti national activists\u201d. AAP, meanwhile, said Hussain had joined AIMIM and contested the 2025 Assembly polls against the party. \u201cWithin hours of an FIR being registered against him, AAP suspended him. Since then, he has had no association with AAP,\u201d it said.<\/div>\n