The court was hearing an urgent plea for bail on medical grounds, which Swamy was earlier denied in March. At a hearing for his bail application in May, the court noted Swamy had a "severe hearing problem" and was "physically very weak." For decades, he fought for the human rights of India's marginalized and indigenous groups, speaking and writing in depth about caste-based injustices. India's caste system was officially abolished in 1950, but the 2,000-year-old social hierarchy imposed on people by birth still exists in many aspects of life. The caste system categorizes Hindus at birth, defining their place in society, what jobs they can do and who they can marry.

Source: CNN July 06, 2021 09:58 UTC