NIA rejects Stan Swamy's claims of seizing his straw and sipper

National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday rejected claims of tribal rights activist Father Stan Swamy, an accused in the Elgar Parishad Maoist links case, that it had seized his straw and sipper and sought 20 days' time from the court to respond to his plea to allow him to have these.

The anti-terror agency, in a statement issued on Sunday, said the claims made by Swamy, 83, are "false, incorrect and mischievous", as it "neither recovered any straw and sipper from the accused nor sought 20 days' time to file reply in his application to court".

Swamy, who is suffering from various health issues including Parkinson's disease, was arrested on October 8 for his involvement in the activities of CPI-Maoist and for furtherance of the agenda of the banned terrorist organisation as one of the alleged conspirators in the 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 town in Maharashtra as a result of the provocative speeches during the Elgar Parishad programme at Shaniwarwada, Pune on December 31, 2017.

The NIA said that it produced Swamy before the Special Court in Mumbai along with charge sheet on October 9 and never took his police custody. "All the necessary legal formalities such as his medical examination were duly observed. Since then, Swamy has been in judicial custody at Taloja Central Jail."

Nearly a month after, on November 6, Swamy filed an application in NIA court at Mumbai for getting back his straw and sipper, which the NIA said "Swamy falsely claimed to have been kept by the NIA".

The court asked the NIA to file its reply on next date, which was scheduled on November 26. In its reply, it stated that the NIA had conducted his personal search in presence of independent witnesses and no such straw and sipper were found.

The court then rejected Swamy's application and issued necessary direction to the jail authorities on November 26 to provide him straw and sipper.

As the accused was in judicial custody, the matter was between him and the jail authorities which come under the Maharashtra administration, the NIA said.

(From IANS with minor edits)