SC asks AIIMS board of doctors to examine Sajjan Kumar

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 4

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed former Delhi Congress leader Sajjan Kumar to be produced before a board of doctors from AIIMS at 10.30 am on Thursday for a medical examination.

Kumar, 73, is serving a life sentence in a case relating to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The former Delhi Congress leader — who has sought bail on the grounds of his poor health — is in jail since December 31, 2018 when he surrendered after being convicted and awarded life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court.

“Whether or not the convict needs to be institutionalised will be decided once the report of the Board by the AIIMS doctor comes in,” a Bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde said.

It directed that the report of the AIIMS doctors be submitted to it within a week.

If the AIIMS board considered it appropriate to hospitalise Kumar it might do so, said the Bench.

As senior advocate Vikas Singh talked about his medical report, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the report was from a private doctor and questioned its veracity. He insisted that a board of directors from AIIMS must examine him.

During the hearing, the CJI said Kumar was an old man who would not run away.

Kumar has challenged the Delhi High Court’s verdict of December 17 last year that awarded him life imprisonment for the “remainder of his natural life” in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case relating to the killing of five Sikhs in Delhi Cantonment’s Raj Nagar Part-I area of southwest Delhi on November 1-2 in 1984, and burning down of a gurdwara in Raj Nagar Part-II. He is also seeking suspension of sentence and his release on bail.