SC Refuses To Grant Interim Bail To Sajjan Kumar Serving Life Sentence In 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to grant interim bail to Ex-congress MP Sajjan Kumar, convicted and serving a life sentence in a 1984 anti-sikh riots case.

A bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde, Indu Malhotra & Hrishikesh Roy stated that there was no ground for hospitalisation reflected in the medical report submitted by AIIMS board warranting bail.

Senior Advocate Vikas Singh appeared for Kumar and submitted before the three-judge bench,

"If my client dies in Jail tomorrow, his life sentence will automatically get converted to death penalty" 

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the case was in fact of "genocide" and that "Kumar was leading a mob".

At this juncture, CJI SA Bobde stated that the bench was inclined to keep the bail pending as no ground had reflected institutionalisation.

On March 4, the top court had directed Sajjan Kumar to appear before an AIIMS Board to determine whether his medical condition warranted institutionalisation. The Board was directed to submit its report in a week.

The former Congress MP had moved a bail application before the apex court on health grounds, and his counsel, Senior Advocate Vikas Singh had asked the court to hear it on an urgent basis.

Singh informed the court that Kumar had lost 7 kgs and was dealing with a life threatening disease due to which he must get interim bail to be admitted to hospital for immediate medical attention.

On January 14, Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had issued notice on Congress Leader Sajjan Kumar's plea against his conviction and sentence in the 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Case.