SC seeks reply of Sajjan Kumar on plea against his anticipatory bail

NEWDELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to Congress leader and 1984 anti-sikh riot cases accused Sajjan Kumar on a special investigation team’s (SIT) plea to cancel the bail granted to him by the trial court in 2016, and later upheld by the Delhi High Court.

The SIT was constituted by the Centre and given the mandate to probe the cases after a PIL was filed before the SC.

A bench of Justice AK Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan issued the notice after additional solicitor general Maninder Singh, appearing for t he SIT, submitted that Sajjan Kumar was not cooperating with them.

“Initially, he came with a battery of lawyers, dictated terms to the investigating officer and left. When he was summoned again, he came armed with the anticipatory bail order,” Singh told the bench, complaining against the leader. Singh assailed both the trial court and HC for granting relief to Sajjan.

“HC had said that everything will be tested during the trial. Later, it gave him relief saying there was no evidence against him,” said Singh.

On the court’s query whether all arguments raised by Singh was advanced before the HC, Singh replied in affirmative. “Yes, this is totally contrary to the established procedure of law,” he replied. The court observed that passage of 34 years could be a valid ground for anticipatory bail. “But the accused must cooperate in the investigation,” the judge said.