Wonderful person, great respect for his work: Bombay HC on Stan Swamy

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court, while hearing posthumously the appeals filed by late Jesuit priest Stan Swamy in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, on Monday said he was a wonderful person and the court had "great respect" for his work.

The observations were made by a Bench of Justices SS Shinde and NJ Jamadar that had also presided over Stan Swamy's medical bail plea on July 5, when the High Court was informed about the 84-year-old priest's death at the Holy Family Hospital here that day following a cardiac arrest.

"We don't have time normally, but I saw the funeral service (of Swamy). It was very gracious," Justice Shinde said. "Such a wonderful person. The kind of service he has rendered to society. We have great respect for his work. Legally, whatever is there against him is a different matter," he said.

The Bench also referred to the criticism that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the judiciary had received following Swamy's death.

It expressed regret over how, in several cases, undertrials languished in prisons waiting for the trial to begin.

The Bench, however, also said it had ensured to remain fair while passing orders on Stan Swamy's medical bail plea, as well as on the pleas filed by his co-accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.

"You came to us with his medical bail plea on May 28 and we acceded to every prayer, every time," the court said to Swamy's advocate, senior counsel Mihir Desai.

"Outside, we are speechless. Only you (Desai) can clarify this. You have said it on record that you have no grievance with this court in the matter," the HC said.

The HC further said nobody mentions that this is the court that granted bail to (co-accused) Varavara Rao, despite vehement opposition.