SC asks CBI to verify health status of Sajjan Kumar jailed in 1984 riots case

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, August 24

The Supreme Court today asked the CBI to verify the medical condition of former Delhi Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who is serving life sentence in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

Serving life term for 1984 riots

• Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar had sought an interim bail on the grounds of poor health. He has been in jail since December 31, 2018, after being given life term in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case
• In Sept last year, the SC dismissed his interim bail plea, saying it was ‘not a small case’. It also declined his plea for hospitalisation, saying his reports suggested he didn’t need to be sent to a hospital

Kumar, 75, has sought interim bail citing his poor health condition. Issuing notice to the CBI on Kumar’s interim bail plea, a Bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul asked the agency to file an affidavit within a week after verifying his medical condition.

Kumar, who had sought an interim bail on the grounds of poor health, has been in jail since December 31, 2018, when he surrendered after being convicted and awarded life term by the Delhi High Court in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

He has challenged the Delhi High Court’s verdict of December 17, 2018, awarding him life imprisonment for the “remainder of his natural life”.

The case relates 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 Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II.

On Kumar’s behalf, senior advocate Vikas Singh said the former MP should be taken to a private hospital for treatment as his condition had not been determined at a government hospital here.

“We want somebody from the state to verify it. We want the state to verify what the medical condition is,”

the Bench said, posting the matter for further hearing September 6.

Singh said Kumar was earlier treated by a doctor at a private hospital and he could be treated there only. “I have serious reservations about private hospitals and these powerful accused,” senior advocate Dushyant Dave said on behalf of the complainants. He pointed out the top court had in September last year dismissed Kumar’s interim bail.

When Singh said Kumar was in a “very precarious condition”, Dave said in March last year, he was examined by an AIIMS board.

The Supreme Court had on September 4 last year dismissed Kumar’s interim bail plea, saying: “This is not a small case… We cannot grant you bail”. It had also declined his plea for hospitalisation, saying his medical reports suggested he didn’t need to be sent to a hospital.