'Act against those foisting false cases': Opposition leaders write to President after Stan Swamy's death

New Delhi, July 06: A day after activist Stan Swamy's death in custody, 10 opposition leaders have written to President Ram Nath Kovind for the release of all the activists jailed in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case.

The signatories include Congress president Sonia Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren (JMM), former prime minister and JDS leader HD Deve Gowda and NC leader Farooq Abdullah, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, D Raja (CPI) and Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) have also signed the letter.

"We the undersigned leaders of major opposition parties are writing to you in deep anguish expressing our intense grief and outrage at the death of Father Stan Swamy under custody," the letter read.

"We are urging your immediate intervention as the President of India to direct your government to act against those responsible for foisting false cases on him, his continued detention in jail and inhuman treatment, they must be held accountable." the letter added.

"It is now incumbent that all those jailed in the Bhima Koregaon case and other detenues under politically motivated cases, misusing draconian laws like UAPA, sedition etc be released forthwith," the letter reads.

Swamy , a Jesuit priest, who spent long years working among his beloved Advasis in this eastern Indian tribal state, died on Monday in Mumbai, hours before his appeal for bail in a case where he is ironically accused of being an Urban Naxal was to be heard.