Evidence in Bhima-Koregaon Case 'Planted' On Stan Swamy's Computer, Claims US Forensic Firm: Report

A US-based forensic firm has said that evidence was planted on the computer of Father Stan Swamy, a human rights activist accused in the Bhima Koregaon case.

Father Stan Swamy, who was implicated in the Bhima-Koregaon case, could have been arrested based on a false case, if a US-based forensic firm is to be believed. Arsenal Consulting, a Massachusetts-based digital forensics firm, which examined his computer, said on Tuesday that "the evidence was planted" on the har disk by a hacker who infiltrated his device. 

Citing a report by the company, The Washington Post said this was similar to two other cases involving human rights activists Rona Wilson and Surendra Gadling.

Swamy, who was an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, died in July 2021 at the age of 84. He was awaiting interim bail on medical grounds.

"Over 50 files were created on Swamy's hard drive, including incriminating documents that fabricated links between him and the Maoist insurgency... The final incriminating document was planted on his computer on June 5, 2019, a week before the raid on Swamy," the report stated.

Father Stan Swamy was arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case based on these documents. Several experts had then raised doubts about the authenticity of the documents, the The Washington Post report added.

The case pertains to alleged inflammatory speeches that were made at Elgar Parishad conclave in Pune on December 31, 2017, which, police claimed, triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial on the outskirts of the western Maharashtra city.

The Pune Police had then claimed the event was backed by Maoists. After Swamy's death, a spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said that his detention followed due process of law. Responding to media queries on the death of Father Swamy last year, the MEA spokesperson said that his bail applications were rejected by the courts because of the nature of charges against him.

"India's democratic and constitutional polity is complemented by an independent judiciary, a range of national and state level Human Rights Commissions that monitor violations, a free media and a vibrant and vocal civil society. India remains committed to promotion and protection of human rights of all its citizens,” he had said.