On November 6, activist Stan Swamy filed an application in a special court in Mumbai requesting access to use a straw and a sipper. The 83-...
On November 6, activist Stan Swamy filed an application in a special court in Mumbai requesting access to use a straw and a sipper. The 83-year-old Jesuit priest has been in custody in Taloja Central Jail since October in the Bhima Koregaon case, and has been unable to hold a glass due to Parkinson’s disease.
When he was arrested in Ranchi, Jharkhand, he carried a small bag with himself that contained a few of his belongings as well as a straw and a sipper, said his lawyer Sharif Sheikh. However, after the arrest, the bag was left with the National Investigation Agency, which is probing the case.
At the time of arrest, such personal belongings, apart from clothing, are not handed over to the accused when he enters jail, Sheikh said.
But the straw and sipper are needed for medical reasons. Why did Swamy have to file an application in court to access a basic health requirement?
The jail authorities asked Swamy to produce a court order to access the straw and sipper from his bag that still remains with the NIA, according to Sheikh.
The application has requested the court to direct the NIA to provide Swamy with the bag. The hearing is scheduled for November 26.
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