The Bombay High Court on Friday directed Maharashtra government to transfer Father Stan Swamy , 84, accused in the Bhima Koregaon caste violence case to the Holy Family Hospital from Taloja Central Jail and treat him.
In an urgent hearing, senior advocate Mihir Desai appearing on behalf of the Jesuit priest told a Division Bench of justices S.S. Shinde and N.R. Borkar that his condition was not improving. As per a call made by Fr. Swamy to his close associate Fr. Joseph Xavier his blood pressure was dropping and he continued to feel weak. Mr. Desai told the court that Fr. Swamy had agreed to move to a private hospital and would bear his own expenses.
Additional public prosecutor J.P. Yagnik reiterated that the Taloja Central Jail hospital had all the facilities and he could easily be treated there.
Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh representing the National Investigation Agency , which is probing the case, said Fr. Swamy should be shifted to a government hospital and not a private hospital.
On May 21, another Bench of the High Court directed that Fr. Swamy be admitted to the JJ Hospital for a few days. However, because his general condition seemed to be getting worse, he was directed to be sent to the Holy Family Hospital for two weeks.
In the last hearing, Fr. Swamy, who suffers from Parkinsons among other ailments, said, “I am eating less and less and my co-accused are worried about me. I would prefer to suffer and die like this in Taloja jail than being admitted to JJ Hospital. It will not improve, it will keep going. Only one thing that I would request the judiciary is to consider for interim bail. That is the only request.”
Published - May 28, 2021 12:46 pm IST
