'Can't be some super VIP patient': SC declines interim bail to Sajjan Kumar

New Delhi, Sep 3 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday junked the plea filed by 1984 anti-Sikh riots convict and former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar seeking bail on medical grounds.

A bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul told Kumar's counsel: "He is accused of heinous crimes. You want him to be treated like some super VIP patient... we won't permit."

Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, representing Sajjan Kumar, contended before the bench that his client's health was deteriorating, and he had also lost a lot of weight. He also cited a report on his health by a doctor.

Kumar claimed that he had recently collapsed in jail, and he was undergoing treatment in the emergency ICU at Safdarjung Hospital. In its response to the bail plea, the CBI said his medical condition was stable and it was improving.

The bench noted that medical report shows Sajjan Kumar is being fully attended to and his medical condition is stable.

The bench, also comprising Justice M.M. Sundresh, declined to entertain the plea by Sajjan Kumar to get him transferred to the Medanta hospital for the treatment of his health issues, despite submitting that he would bear the cost on his own.

"We are not willing to grant medical bail or bail otherwise," said the bench.

It added that a picture was portrayed before it that as if he is on his last legs. The bench told Kumar's counsel that his client is not out of jail, where he can get benefits.

"Merely because you are a high-profile person does not mean that this court will keep hearing your bail petitions," the bench said.

Rejecting the interim bail on medical grounds, the top court said it is not keen on passing any order and if medical authorities consider he needs to be examined at Medanta, then they may go ahead with it.

On August 24, the top court had directed the CBI to verify the medical condition of Sajjan Kumar, who sought interim bail citing health grounds, and file its response within a week after doing so.