New Delhi, April 22

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a furlough plea of former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, who is serving life imprisonment in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

As a Bench led by Justice JK Maheshwari made it clear that it was not inclined to entertain the plea, Khokhar's counsel chose to withdraw the petition which was "dismissed as withdrawn".

The Bench, however, said the petitioner could approach the competent authority for furlough. Khokhar's counsel had earlier said he was seeking furlough for maintaining social ties.

Besides Khokhar, former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar is serving a life term in the case. Former MLA Mahender Yadav, who was awarded 10-year sentence, died of Covid in Mandoli jail.