A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court has rejected the interim medial bail plea of 83-year-old Stan Swamy, accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case and lodged in the Taloja Central Jail.
Mr. Swamy, a Jesuit priest and activist working with tribals, was arrested on October 8 from his residence at Ranchi and was brought to Mumbai the next day. He was remanded in judicial custody from October 9.
Advocates Sharif Shaikh and Kritika Agarwal, representing the octogenarian, told the court that Mr. Swamy has been suffering from Parkinson’s disease and has almost lost hearing ability in both ears. He has fallen in jail multiple times.
Mr. Shaikh sought his bail on humanitarian grounds and as per the recommendations of the committee appointed by the Supreme Court to release prisoners in view of COVID-19 outbreak. The Central agency opposed the bail saying Mr. Swamy is taking undue benefit of the pandemic. Mr. Swamy has since been shifted to the prison hospital.
