Catholic Church leaders in India have sought an “unconditional apology” from the government for the custodial death of Father Stan Swamy after a US-based digital forensic firm found that the late Jesuit was falsely implicated in a sedition case.
“At least at this stage, the government and its probe agency should tender an unconditional apology to people for the unjust arrest, inhuman incarceration and custodial death of Father Swamy for no fault of his,” said Jesuit Father A Santhanam, convener of the National Lawyers Forum of Religious and Priests (NLFRP).
Earlier, the Arsenal Consulting, a digital forensic laboratory based in the United States, found that Father Swamy was framed when his computer’s hard drive was hacked and incriminating documents were uploaded.
“Digital evidence used to arrest senior human rights defender Father Swamy in the Bhima-Koregaon case was planted on his computer’s hard drive,” read Arsenal’s report.
Father Santhanam said the government should tell the nation who were behind the hacking and at whose instruction an innocent priest was implicated.
“Yes, the government and its probe agency should take full responsibility for the judicial death of Father Swamy who was even denied proper medical care until his condition deteriorated beyond repair in the jail,” added Father Santhanam.
Father Swamy died on July 5, 2021, while undergoing treatment.