Mumbai: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has alleged that Father Stan Swamy, accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case, was actually accomplishing the agenda of Communist Party of India (Maoist) under the pretense of voicing concerns of the tribal community.

It said that his bail plea must be rejected.

Father Swamy, 83, currently at Taloja Central Jail, was arrested from Ranchi on October 8, 2020, and was sent to judicial custody the following day. He is charged under several sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

Special public prosecutor Prakash Shetty, appearing for the central agency, argued that during the investigation it was established that Father Swamy was a staunch supporter of the activities of organizations such as Visthapan Virodhi Jan Vikas Andolan and People’s Union for Civil Liberties, which were “working as frontal organizations of CPI (Maoist).”

Arguing for the fourth day in a row, Shetty said Father Swamy had tried to dispose of evidence by deleting files showing his involvement in activities of the CPI (Maoist) and that the NIA had recovered those files. The act of deleting the files showed his intention was to try to escape justice, Shetty charged.

He also contended that, “Under the pretense of voicing the concerns of the tribal community, the accused is actually accomplishing the agenda of CPI (Maoist). The ghastly truth is that in the name of social causes, Father Swamy and the co-accused are actually working to achieve goals of the CPI (Maoist).”

Shetty said the bail plea must be rejected because NIA has found that a large amount of money was received by Father Swamy and was also disbursed. So the agency needed to investigate the same.

Father Swamy is seeking bail on the grounds that the prosecution has failed to establish how he has taken part or committed or incited the commission of any unlawful activity. Hence, Section 13 (punishment for unlawful activities) of UAPA cannot be applied. The prosecution has not brought anything on record to suggest that Father Swamy was involved in any kind of terrorist act.

Source: thehindu.com