1984 riots case life convict seeks sentence suspension on med grounds, Delhi HC calls for report

The Delhi High Court on Monday called for a status report from the police regarding the health of a life convict in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case who has sought interim suspension of sentence for 90 days on medical grounds.

A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Asha Menon directed the police to file the fresh status report regarding the medical condition of convict Naresh Sehrawat before the next date of hearing on July 5.

Advocate Dharam Raj Ohlan, representing Sehrawat, told the court that he was seeking interim suspension of sentence or parole of 90 days in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the High Powered Committee (HPC) set up for decongesting jails to prevent the spread of Covid-19 among prisoners.

Ohlan contended that his client was suffering from stage 4 kidney and liver ailments for which transplants were the only option and till he gets a transplant he has to be on a special diet which would not be possible while in prison.

The lawyer also told the bench that in view of Sehrawat's medical condition he was susceptible to Covid-19 infection.

Opposing the plea, senior advocate R S Cheema, representing the Special Investigation Team (SIT), told the bench that Sehrawat has already received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine and he was being well looked after.

To this, Ohlan said that vaccination was not a 100 per cent guarantee or protection against Covid-19 infection.

Cheema also told the court that the convict was being provided all the requisite medical treatment and there was no emergency right now for grant of any relief to him.

An SIT was earlier set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs to reinvestigate the riot cases.

The trial court had awarded death penalty to convict Yashpal Singh and life term to Naresh Sehrawat in the case relating to the killing of two men in New Delhi during the 1984 riots -- the first convictions in the cases reopened by the SIT.

Sherawat has also appealed against his conviction and the sentence before the high court which is pending.

The death reference as well as the appeal of Singh against the capital punishment awarded to him is also pending in the high court.