The Bombay High Court said on Thursday that Father Stan Swamy, an accused in the Bhima Koregaon caste violence case, will continue to remain at the Holy Family hospital till July 5, as he has critical medical issues and requires intensive care.
Senior advocate Mihir Desai representing him told a division bench of justices S.S. Shinde and N.J. Jamadar that Fr. Swamy was in the ICU. The court was given his latest medical report from the hospital that said he had recovered from COVID-19, but his health condition continued to remain critical.
The court said, “As per the report, there are serious medical issues. In view of aforesaid report, we deem it appropriate to extend the stay of the appellant till July 5.”
The bench also directed that a copy of the report be given to the National Investigation Agency probing the case, and adjourned the hearing till July 3.
Fr. Swamy tested positive for COVID-19 on May 30, after being shifted to the private hospital on May 29 from the Taloja Central Jail.
He suffers from Parkinson’s disease, lower back pain and bilateral hearing loss among other ailments.
“I am eating less and less, and my co-accused are worried about me,” he told the High Court on May 21. “I would prefer to suffer and die like this in Taloja jail than be admitted to J.J. Hospital. It will not improve, it will keep going. Only one thing that I would request of the judiciary is to consider interim bail. That is the only request.”
The jesuit priest was arrested from Ranchi on October 9, 2020.