IB staffer’s murder: Two brothers challenge conviction on sole witness testimony

In a recent development, two brothers sentenced to life for the murder of Intelligence Bureau staffer Ankit Sharma during the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots have appealed to the Delhi High Court, questioning the reliance on the testimony of a single witness. Nazim and Kasim's appeals argue that the trial court placed too much importance on the statement of public witness (PW-6) Pradeep Verma, despite no Test Identification Parade (TIP) being conducted.

This reliance on Verma's testimony resulted in convictions for four accused, while another two were acquitted. The brothers also contend that the trial court made a mistake in identifying Nazim and Kasim from Verma's testimony, as Verma had initially failed to name them as the mob members during his March 11, 2020, statement to investigators.

They highlight contradictions in Verma's statement and the court's deviation from the principle of parity, as it convicted them based on the same witness's testimony while acquitting others whom Verma suspected of being involved in the mob.