India, Nov. 8 -- New Delhi

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice in a petition filed by former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, convicted and sentenced to life in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, seeking release on three weeks' furlough to reconnect with his family.

A bench of justice Ravinder Dudeja sought the jail director general of prisons' response and scheduled the next hearing for November 17.

Khokhar has moved the high court challenging the September 4 order of the director general of prisons at Tihar Jail, rejecting his furlough request on the ground that his release could pose a threat to public peace and order.

In his plea, filed through advocate Uday Chauhan, Khokhar contended that the DG (prisons) failed to take i...