Elgaar accused Father Stan Swamy unwell, yet given Covid-19 vaccine in jail, Bombay HC informed

Tribal rights activist Father Stan Swamy has sought relief on the grounds of Parkinson’s disease and other ailments like arthritis

Father Stan Swamy was given the Covid-19 vaccine at Taloja jail, the Bombay High Court was told on Wednesday. The tribal rights activist was also taken to JJ hospital on Tuesday and brought back around midnight, the court was informed.

Senior advocate Mihir Desai made the submissions during the hearing of the 84-year-old's plea seeking relief on health grounds. Swamy is an accused in the Elgaar Parishad case.

Desai informed the vacation bench of Justices SJ Kathawalla and Surendra Tavade that he had filed a note on Swamy's failing health on Monday and cited the lack of medical facilities and physical distancing in the jail.

Desai countered the claim of Assistant Public Prosecutors JP Yagnik that Swamy had been taken to JJ for the vaccine. He said Swamy was taken there for a check-up, while he was inoculated on the jail premises itself.

Also Read: Bombay High Court asks JJ Hospital to form expert panel to examine Stan Swamy

Swamy's friend and former principal of St. Xavier's College Father Frazer Mascarenhas wondered why he was given the vaccine when feeling unwell. "Yes, all the inmates have been asking for vaccination - but Fr. Stan did not ask for vaccination precisely yesterday [Tuesday], at a time when he has developed symptoms for some illness or the other. What the jail authorities should have done is get his RT-PCR test done. But instead, his vaccination was done first," he said.

Fr. Frazer said Swamy's Parkinson's is getting worse and that his back pain has aggravated. He was reportedly stable for the past few weeks. "It is only when he rang us up on May 14 and said he was having headache and a cough, as well as fever and an upset stomach…that we got worried."

On making Swamy travel all the way up to JJ hospital, over 40 km one way, and back in such a condition, Fr Frazer said, "This is cruel treatment."

Cour asks for report on May 21

HC asks for report on Swamy's health the HC has directed the dean of JJ hospital to form a panel of doctors to examine Swamy. A report on their findings has to be submitted to the court when it hears the matter next on May 21. Swamy will need to be produced before the court via conferencing from Taloja Jail.