HYDERABAD: Sister Teresa Maria Kattikaran, coordinator of Tender Loving Care Home, and nine others have been sentenced to under go six months simple imprisonment by the Ninth Metropolitan Magistrate in a case relating to the child adoption racket that rocked the State in 2001.

The Magistrate held them guilty under Section 420 and 471 of the IPC relating to cheating and forging of documents respectively. In addition to the sentence, they have been asked to pay a fine of Rs. 1,000 each. The Magistrate said that he had taken a lenient view in awarding the sentence as they belonged to a religious organisation.

Sister Innamma, Provincial Superior of J.M.J. Provincialate, was the only one to be acquitted. The nine others of the home who were convicted were Sister Shoureelu, Head Mistress, St. Teresa Girls High School, Nagothu Rojalu, Head Mistress, St. Joseph's Convent, Gajwel, Vijaya Kumari, accountant, T. Vani, savings co-coordinator, N. Narsamma and L. Sangeetha, record assistants, P. Latha and J. Suguna, cluster coordinators, and R. Nirmala, former employee. Two others — Padmaja, a former employee, and Deepa — were absconding.

Soon after the adoption scandal broke out, a CID enquiry was ordered and a charge sheet filed in the court, naming 13 persons. Cases were booked under various sections of the IPC.

An FIR was lodged with Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar police station as the home was located in its jurisdiction. It was a long trial and about 100 witnesses were examined.

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