HC seeks CBI’S stand on bail plea for Sajjan

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to respond to the plea filed by Congress leader Sajjan Kumar seeking interim bail or suspension of sentence on account of his deteriorating medical condition.

A bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Hrishikesh Roy issued notice to the CBI on an application filed by Kumar who is undergoing a life term following his conviction in the 1984 anti-sikh riots in Delhi by the Delhi high court in December 2018. The court said, “Let the medical condition of the appellant (Kumar) be verified and an affidavit be filed by CBI within one week.” The court also asked CBI to take instructions on Kumar’s demand to be treated at

Medanta Hospital.

In his bail application, Sajjan Kumar, 77, stated that his condition is critical and that he was currently undergoing treatment in the Emergency ICU at Safdarjung Hospital. “Due to his old age and his ill-health, he has become infirm and is incapable of taking care of himself and requires constant human attention for his daily needs...,” said the application filed through Kumar’s advocate Ajay Marwah.

Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the families of victims, said that the accused was roaming free till the Delhi high court’s order of December 17, 2018, which reversed the 2013 acquittal by the trial court.

CBI, represented by advocate Shradha Deshmukh, accepted notice on the bail application and agreed to file an affidavit before the next date of hearing.