NIA had no role in denying Stan Swamy sipper: Former chief blames Uddhav govt

In his statement, Modi also blamed the then Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government in Maharashtra, and said it was “their responsibility to provide Swamy with a sipper and not the agency’s”. He also claimed that the agency had enough evidence against Stan Swamy.

During a discussion on the working of the MHA Wednesday, Gokhale had said, “NIA is busy running its agenda in different states locking up Indians for supposedly plotting against the Modi government. An 83-year-old man, a tribal welfare worker and a priest, Father Stan Swamy… we know how he died in prison. We know how he was denied a straw. This is what NIA does today.”

Modi’s statement said, “Yesterday (Wednesday) while initiating a debate on grants of MHA, TMC MP Saket Gokhale tried to project the role of NIA in UAPA case against Father Stan Swamy in a bad light. The factual position in the matter is as below: NIA had adequate evidence against Stan Swamy and he was chargesheeted after thorough investigation. He was in judicial custody when he demanded sipper (to be used for drinking liquids). The same was to be provided by the jail authorities in Mumbai which was under the Maharashtra government led by Uddhav Thackeray in coalition with Congress and NCP.”

NIA never objected to providing Swamy a sipper, Modi said.

“His lawyers and supporters filled applications in court for propaganda and raised the issue in media thereby delaying the whole process. In fact, they called upon civil society groups to send sippers in large numbers to jail for publicity and mischievous reasons,” Modi said.

Modi said NIA always supported the best medical treatment for Swamy but his lawyers and supporters filed applications for different hospitals for “propaganda mileage thereby causing hindrance in best medical treatment to him”. “The unfortunate death of Stan Swamy was highlighted by Urban Naxals in the international media to tarnish the country’s image,” the statement said.