Tag: Sajjan Kumar

  • 1984 riots: SC refuses to grant interim bail to ex-MP Sajjan Kumar

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Friday refused to grant interim bail sought on health grounds to former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who is serving life imprisonment in an 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, saying as per the medical records his condition is stable and improving.

    The apex court, which dealt with the submission advanced by Kumar’s counsel that the former MP be allowed to undergo treatment at a private hospital at his own cost, observed that he cannot be treated as a “super VIP patient”.

    “You are feeling he is the only patient in the country to be examined. He is one of the patients,” a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M M Sundresh told the counsel representing Kumar.

    Observing that Kumar was accused of “heinous crime”, the bench further said, “You want him to be treated as some kind of a super VIP patient. That is what is happening.”

    At the outset, Kumar’s counsel referred to the medical records and said he was examined by the doctors at a government hospital here and the report says his condition has improved and he needed few more days of hospital care.

    The counsel said the doctors have not given any conclusion about the diagnosis of the problem and Kumar has lost about 18 kg weight.

    He said 75-year-old Kumar was earlier treated by a doctor at a private hospital and he could be treated there, even being in custody, at his own cost.

    “No. Sorry. He is being looked after here,” the bench said.

    When his counsel argued that he was only making a request considering that the man should not die, the bench observed, “You are making a very large statement. Who can guarantee that except the almighty.”

    The bench observed that a picture was portrayed before it that something is very wrong but as per the medical reports, these are age related ailments.

    “Merely because he has been, in his time, some high-profile person, does not entitle him to keep coming every time to the court on these issues,” the bench observed.

    The top court noted in its order that the medical report says that Kumar was examined and a medical board was also constituted.

    It noted that as per the report, “his condition is stated to be stable and imporving but he needs some more day of hospital care.”

    The bench said it is not inclined to issue a direction that he must be taken to the private hospital for treatment but if the medical authorities attending to him consider the necessity of consulting the doctor or his examination there, it is open for them to do the needful.

    Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the complainant in the matter, said there are experts at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and it is fully equipped.

    The bench observed that today, people are consulting doctors at USA and all over the world through virtual mode or use of technology and Kumar seems to have faith in the doctor, who had treated him earlier.

    Kumar’s counsel said that regular bail plea of the former MP is pending before the apex court.

    On August 24, the top court had directed the CBI to verify the medical condition of Kumar and file an affidavit.

    In September last year, the apex court had dismissed Kumar’s plea seeking interim bail on health grounds.

    Kumar is serving life imprisonment after the Delhi High Court had convicted him and others in the case on December 17, 2018.

    The high court had reversed the acquittal of Kumar by the trial court in 2013 in the case related to killings of five Sikhs in the Raj Nagar Part-I area in Palam Colony in southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984, and burning down of a gurdwara in Raj Nagar Part-II.

    The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984 by her two Sikh bodyguards.

    In its verdict, the high court had convicted and sentenced Kumar to imprisonment for “remainder of his natural life” in the case saying the riots were a “crime against humanity” perpetrated by those who enjoyed “political patronage” and aided by an “indifferent” law enforcement agency.

  • 1984 anti-Sikh riots: SC refuses to grant interim bail on health grounds to Sajjan Kumar

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the plea of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who is serving life imprisonment in an 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, seeking interim bail on health grounds.

    The apex court perused the medical records of Kumar and observed that he has been examined by doctors at a government hospital here and his condition is stated to be stable and improving.

    A bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M M Sundresh said it is not inclined to grant him bail on medical grounds.

    The 75-year-old Kumar is serving life imprisonment after the Delhi High Court had convicted him and others in the case on December 17, 2018.

    The high court had reversed the acquittal of Kumar by the trial court in 2013 in the case related to killings of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar Part-I area in Palam Colony in southwest Delhi on November, 1984, and burning down of a gurdwara in Raj Nagar Part-II.

    The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984 by her two Sikh bodyguards.

  • SC asks CBI to verify medical condition of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Tuesday directed the CBI to verify the medical condition of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar who is serving life imprisonment in an 1984 anti-Sikh riots case and is seeking interim bail on health grounds.

    A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hrishikesh Roy issued notice to the CBI on Kumar’s plea and asked it to file an affidavit within a week after verifying his medical condition.

    Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for the ex-MP, said Kumar 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 is the medical condition,” the bench observed.

    Singh said Kumar was earlier treated by a doctor at a private hospital and he could be treated there.

    Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the complainant in the matter, said that Kumar had got anticipatory bail from the high court in 2010 and he was sent to jail only after he was convicted by the high court.

    “This is shocking,” he told the bench, adding that people were slaughtered during the riots.

    “I have serious reservation about private hospitals and these powerful accused,” Dave said, adding that the apex court had in September last year dismissed Kumar’s plea seeking interim bail on health grounds.

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

    They all get into precarious condition after slaughtering people, Dave said.

    “This is a precarious condition itself that he is in jail. That itself is a precarious condition,” the bench observed.

    As Singh said irresponsible statements should not be made, Dave argued “it is not irresponsible, it is a serious matter”.

    Singh said he had not argued anything on merits.

    “Issue notice. Counsel for the state accepts notice. The medical condition of the petitioner be verified and affidavit be filed within a week,” the bench said and posted the matter for hearing on September 6.

    Kumar is serving life imprisonment after the Delhi High Court had convicted him and others in the case on December 17, 2018.

    The high court had reversed the acquittal of Kumar by the trial court in 2013 in the case related to killings of five Sikhs in the Raj Nagar Part-I area in Palam Colony in southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984, and burning down of a gurdwara in Raj Nagar Part-II.

    The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984 by her two Sikh bodyguards.

    In its verdict, the high court had convicted and sentenced Kumar to imprisonment for “remainder of his natural life” in the case saying the riots were a “crime against humanity” perpetrated by those who enjoyed “political patronage” and aided by an “indifferent” law enforcement agency.