The Supreme Court on Friday denied bail to the former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar who is convicted in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

A three-judge bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian was hearing the bail plea.

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“It is not a small case. We cannot grant bail,” the bench said.

The apex court said that the Congress leader needs not to stay in the hospital when his medical reports say that there is no need for the hospitalisation.

The court further said that it will hear his appeal against his conviction and life sentence once physical courts start functioning.

In May, the Supreme Court had refused to give any relief to convict Sajjan Kumar for as the court said his bail application will be considered in July.

Earlier in February, the Supreme Court had refused to grant him the interim bail and said it will hear his bail plea during summer vacations.

Sajjan Kumar, a convict in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, is currently undergoing a life sentence.

The apex court had in March directed the AIIMS to conduct a complete medical examination of Sajjan Kumar, after he complained of continuous weight loss during incarceration.

Sajjan Kumar, who is 74 years old, in his bail application had claimed that he has lost nearly 10 kg while serving his term in the jail. His lawyer told the top court told there is a medical certificate by a private doctor, therefore he should be examined completely to rule out any major health issue.

Sajjan Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court on December 17, 2018, while describing the mass killings as “crimes against humanity”.

The case relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar part-I area in Palam Colony in South West Delhi on November 1-2, 1984, and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar part II during that period.

After his conviction, Kumar surrendered in Delhi’s Karkardooma Court on December 31.

Besides Sajjan Kumar, Captain Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal and former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar were also sentenced to life imprisonment. Kishan Khokkar and former legislator Mahender Yadav were sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The 1984 riots followed the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by two of her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Hundreds of innocent Sikhs were killed, mainly in Delhi.

According to reports, over 3000 people were killed in the riots in and outside Delhi.