Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain was suspended from the primary membership of his party on Thursday evening, after he was charged with murder and arson in connection with the death of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) employee Ankit Sharma, whose body was found in a drain near his home in Jafrabad, where riots took place over citizenship law protests.

दिल्ली हिंसा मामले में पार्षद ताहिर हुसैन को जाँच पूरी होने तक आम आदमी पार्टी से निलंबित कर दिया है।

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— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) February 27, 2020

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According to The Indian Express, Delhi Police registered an FIR under IPC Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) against Hussain. The FIR, which was registered Thursday at Dayalpur police station, was based on allegations by 25-year-old Sharma’s family that Hussain was linked to the incident.

Ankit Sharma was allegedly attacked by a mob and stabbed to death on his way home on Tuesday. The post-mortem report, released on Thursday, indicated multiple stab wounds across his body. After the body was found on Wednesday, his father Ravinder Sharma, who is also an IB employee, alleged supporters of Hussain had killed his son. He further alleged his son had been shot after he was beaten.

Hussain will remain suspended until the charges against him are investigated and he is cleared.

Asked about the allegations against Hussain, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said: “Take strict action against him (Hussain). Police is not under me or I would have. Be it people from AAP, BJP or Congress, those who fanned the communal fire, those who orchestrated riots, should all be punished even if it is someone from my Cabinet. If he is from AAP, give him double the punishment.”

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Hussain said, “I am very sad to hear about the death of IB officer Ankit Sharma. He should get justice. I am not involved in this incident. There should be a thorough investigation of this matter.”

The Indian Express reports, Police also claimed to have found a cache of petrol bombs and cement packets filled with bricks from the office of Hussain in Mustafabad Thursday morning. But AAP’s Okhla MLA, Amanatullah Khan, tweeted that Hussain “is innocent”. “BJP is trying to save its own leaders by framing him in a false case,” Khan claimed.