‘False and Mischievous’: NIA refutes Stan Swamy’s allegations of not providing sipper, straw

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday disproved claims of Tribal rights activist Father Stan Swamy who is an accused in the alleged Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.

“The reports claiming that NIA recovered straw and sipper from Swamy and sought 20 days’ time from the special court to respond to Swamy’s plea to allow him the items in Taloja Central Jail, are false, incorrect and mischievous,” the investigation agency said.

The 83-year-old Jesuit priest, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, filed a petition in the Special NIA Court earlier this month seeking a sipper and straw to take water and other liquid meals. In the plea, he said his sipper and straw were taken away from him when he was put in jail in October after his arrest.

During the latest hearing of the case on November 26, Swamy’s lawyer told the court that his client was not being provided with any sipper and straw despite his repeated requests.

Here’s the complete statement by NIA:

Accused Stan Swamy was arrested by NIA on *08/10/2020* for his involvement in the activities of CPI (Maoist) and for furtherance of the agenda of the banned terrorist organisation as one of the conspirators in Bhima Koregaon Elgar parishad case. The case pertains to widespread violence, arson and stone-pelting resulting in loss of lives and property near Bhima Koregaon, as a result of the provocative speeches during organisation of Elgar Parishad programme at Shaniwarwada, Pune on 31.12.2017.

2. After arresting accused Stan Swamy, NIA produced him before the Special Court in Mumbai along with Chargesheet on 9/10/2020 and never took his police custody. All the necessary legal formalities such as his medical examination etc. were duly observed. Since then, accused Stan Swamy has been in judicial custody at Taloja Central Jail.

3. Nearly after a month, i.e. on 6/11/2020, accused Stan Swamy filed an application in the Hon’ble NIA Court at Mumbai for getting back his straw and sipper, (which he falsely claimed to have been kept by NIA).

4. The Hon’ble Court asked the Agency to file its reply on next date, which was scheduled on 26/11/2020.

5. NIA duly filed its reply in the Court on the scheduled date i.e. 26/11/2020 stating therein that NIA had conducted his personal search in presence of independent witnesses and no such straw and sipper were found.

6. The Hon’ble Court rejected Swamp’s application and has issued necessary direction to the jail authorities on 26th November, 2020 to provide him straw and sipper.

7. As the accused was in judicial custody, the matter was between him and the jail authorities which come under the Maharashtra State Administration.

8. The reports claiming that NIA recovered straw and sipper from accused Stan Swamy and sought 20 days’ time from the court to respond to Stan Swamp’s plea to allow him a straw and sipper in Taloja Central Jail, are false, incorrect and mischievous as NIA neither recovered any straw and sipper from the accused nor sought 20 days time to file reply in said application.

9. Accused Stan Swamy, a hard-core CPI (Maoist) activist was charge-sheeted by NIA on 9.10.2020 along with seven other accused for their role and involvement in Bhima Koregaon Elgar Parishad Case.

10. Accused Stan Swamy was propagating among other cadres that the arrest of the urban CPI (Maoist) cadres from different parts of country, particularly in Maharashtra has caused a huge irrevocable damage to CPI (Maoist). He received funds from other Maoist cadres for furtherance of the activities of CPI (Maoist). He is convener of PPSC, a frontal organization of CPI (Maoist). Incriminating documents related to communications for furthering the activities of the banned terrorist organisation CPI (Maoist) were seized from his possession.

Claims Made by Accused Stan Swamy regarding Seizure of his Straw and Sipper by NIA are False and Mischievous pic.twitter.com/9Xsb3rjukR

— NIA India (@NIA_India) November 29, 2020

NIA chargesheet says Stan Swamy received Rs 8 lakh for CPI-Maoist activities

“After arresting accused Stan Swamy, NIA produced him before the Special Court in Mumbai along with a chargesheet on October 9, 2020, and never took his custody. All the necessary legal formalities such as his medical examination etc. were duly observed. Since then, accused Stan Swamy has been in judicial custody at Taloja Central Jail,” the statement said.

Satej Patil, Maharashtra’s Minister of State for Home, earlier tweeted on November 7 that Swamy is being provided with a sipper and straw.

The chargesheet said that a letter was seized from Swamy,83, which instructed that all Scheduled Castes (SC) leaders should work with “the principle of no rest, no negligence and no mercy and to do everything possible to disrupt the fake development propaganda disseminated by star campaigners of BJP-RSS corporate-friendly family”.

“Our aim should be to stop them from making inroads into tribal masses and lower-middle-class population,” the letter said.

The chargesheet said Swamy is convenor of Persecuted Prisoners Solidarity Committee (PPSC), “a frontal organisation of CPI-Maoist”.