AAP leader Tahir Hussain denies involvement in killing of IB staffer

New Delhi, Feb 27: AAP councillor Tahir Hussain on Thursday denied that he was involved in the riots or in the killing of an Intelligence Bureau (IB) staffer whose family accused him of being behind the murder.

Ankit Sharma (26), who worked for the IB, had gone missing on Tuesday and his body was found in a drain near his home in northeast Delhi's riot-hit Chand Bagh area on Wednesday. His family members claimed that the local councillor and his associates were behind the killing. Hussain rejected the allegations.

"I came to know from news reports that I am being blamed for the murder of a man. These are lies and baseless accusations. For our safety, my family and I had moved away from our home on Monday in police presence," he said.

Hussain further said there should be an impartial probe into the incident and action should be taken against the guilty. "It is wrong to target me. I and my family have nothing to do with it," he said.

The comments were made by Hussain in a video that was shared by the AAP's social media head, Ankit Lal.

Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said the party's stand remains clear that strictest punishment must be taken against anyone associated with spreading violence and added that Hussain has given his statement on the matter.