The family of murdered Outlook cartoonist Irfan Hussain will challenge the acquittal of all five accused in the Delhi High Court.

Hussain was abducted and later murdered by a gang of auto-snatchers on National Highway 24 in east Delhi on March 8, 1999.

Hussain's father Mansoor Bhai has given his consent to challenge the acquittals and seek a re-investigation into the 1999 murder, Outlook editor Vinod Mehta said on Saturday.

"Outlook will be assisting the family in filing an appeal. Our lawyers are doing the paper work. The appeal will be filed pretty soon," Mehta, who meet Hussain's father on Friday, told PTI.

On March 31, a city court acquitted suspects Mustafa Ansari, Sanjay Kumar, Heera Singh, Mohammed Jasin and Mohammed Shahid for want of circumstantial evidence.

The prosecution has declined to file an appeal against the acquittals.