SC orders AIIMS to check Sajjan Kumar's health

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered AIIMS director to set up a medical board to assess health condition of former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar who sought bail, saying he has lost 8 to 10 kgs weight, after being sent to jail in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

"Losing weight does not mean illness. But we would take care of your health wherever you are," a bench presided over by Justice S A Bobde told senior advocate Vikas Singh, who said that Kumar's health had deteriorated after he was sentenced to life term 11 months ago.

The bench, also comprising Justices S Abdul Nazeer and Krishna Murari, said the medical board would examine Kumar and send a report within four weeks.

Senior advocates Dushyant Dave and H S Phoolka, representing the victims, questioned posting the matter for hearing, despite the court's previous direction that his appeal against the Delhi HC's judgement would be heard during summer vacations of 2020.

During the hearing, Singh contended the high court has relied upon a witness who had changed her version.

Dave, for his part, contested him, saying this was a case where the prosecution colluded with the convict for 30 years.

Kumar has been in jail after the Delhi High Court had on December 17, 2018, awarded him life imprisonment for the "remainder of his natural life" in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

The CBI had opposed his bail, saying Kumar was the leader and the kingpin in the gruesome offence of massacre of Sikhs.