Jesuit tribal activist Father Stan Swamy was on May 28 admitted to a Catholic hospital in Mumbai following the Bombay High Court intervention.
Father Swamy arrived at Holy Family Hospital in Bandra, a Mumbai suburb, at 9:45 pm, according to Jesuit Father Arockiasamy Santhanam, spokesperson for the National Lawyers Forum of Religious and Priests, who is monitoring his senior confrere’s case.
“We are happy that the court has understood rightly the health condition, health emergency and the dire need for urgent medical treatments for Stan and granted the relief,” Father Santhanam told Matters India.
According to him, initial investigations at hospital showed Covid symptoms. “Stan is shifted to Covid ICU. He is on oxygen,” he added.
According to him, Father Frazer Mascar-enhas, the former principal of Mumbai’s St Xavier’s college and the visitor permitted by the court, met Father Swamy in the hospital.
In earlier video conference with judges, Father Swamy refused hospitalization and pleaded for interim bail to go to Ranchi, in eastern India, to be with his people.
However, as his health condition deteriorated Father Swamy obliged to the suggestion of hospitalization after his lawyer, with the court permission, interacted with him through the counsel call facility. “He is unable to stand, walk and eat without helpers,” Father Santhanam said.
Earlier in the day, the court directed Maharashtra government to transfer the 84-year-old priest, accused in the Bhima Koregaon caste violence case, to the Holy Family Hospital from Taloja Central Jail and treat him.