US-based firm says digital evidence was planted on Stan Swamy's computer

A USbased forensic firm on Tuesday said that digital evidence used to arrest Jesuit priest Father Stan Swamy in the BhimaKoregaon case was planted on his computers hard drive similar to two other cases involving human rights defenders Rona Wilson and Surendra GadlingSwamy 84 who was an accused in the Elgar ParishadMaoist links case died in July 2021 while waiting for interim bail on medical groundsAn examination of an electronic copy of his computer by Arsenal Consulting a Massachusettsbased digital forensics firm concluded that a hacker infiltrated his device and planted evidence The Washington Post reported citing a new report by the companyThis follows previous reports which documented digital evidence planting on the devices of other human rights activists Rona Wilson and Surendra Gadling the firm said in its reportOver 50 files were created on Swamys hard drive including incriminating documents that fabricated links between him and the Maoist insurgency the report saidThe final incriminating document was planted on his computer on June 5 2019 a week before the raid on Swamy the report saidIt was on the basis of these documents that he was first arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case despite experts raising doubts about the authenticity of the documents it addedAlso Read Friends human rights groups remember Fr Stan Swamy issue calls for justiceThe Elgar case relates to alleged inflammatory speeches delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave held at Shaniwarwada in Pune on December 31 2017 which the police claimed triggered violence the next day near the KoregaonBhima war memorial located on the citys outskirtsThe Pune Police claimed the conclave was backed by MaoistsAfter Swamys death a spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs had said that his detention followed due process of lawIn response to the media queries on the demise of Father Swamy last year the MEA spokesperson said that his bail applications were rejected by the courts because of the specific nature of charges against himIndias 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 saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever