Kerala - Kochi   

Two priests, nun held in Sister Abhaya murder case

Kochi: Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate P.D. Soman on Wednesday remanded two Catholic priests and a nun, arrested in the Sr. Abhaya murder case, to CBI custody till December 2.

According to a report the CBI filed, the first and second accused, Fr. Thomas Kottur and Fr. Jose Puthurukkayil, were arrested between 5 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. on Tuesday (November 18) and the third accused, Sr. Stephy, was arrested on Wednesday (November 19).

Their interrogation was essential to “unearth incriminating evidence” from the three, to find out the involvement of others and for the reconstruction of the scene of crime.

Opposing the plea, counsel for the accused said that in case they were questioned, interrogation should be done only in the presence of their lawyers.

However, the magistrate said the CBI should be given a free hand to interrogate the accused in ‘solitary confinement,’ considering this a special case.

Besides, he pointed out, the Kerala High Court had allowed this court to monitor the investigation.

At a press conference here, CBI Joint Director Ashok Kumar said the arrests were made on strong evidence. The investigation would reach its “logical conclusion in 25-30 days.”

“It is the endeavour of the CBI to complete the investigation as expeditiously as possible in full deference to the directions of the High Court,” he said.

Sixteen years into the case and investigation by several agencies, the latest probe began on November 1 following the High Court’s directive that the case be investigated by the CBI’s Kochi unit. It was the continuation of the work done by the earlier CBI teams, Mr. Kumar said.

The new team, headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police Nandakumar Nair, has some 30 personnel.

Mr. Kumar said he could not reveal the nature of fresh evidence based on which the three were arrested. For, the disclosure might obstruct the course of investigation.

He denied that the arrested persons or the person who testified had been tortured. That was not the way the CBI functioned.

Asked whether the local police officers who first investigated the case and who allegedly destroyed evidence would also be probed, Mr. Kumar said “proper action would be taken” if evidence emerged.

Asked about the outcome of the investigation by the previous CBI teams, he said that when a patient examined by 10 different doctors, there could be 10 different diagnoses.

This is for the first time that two priests and a nun are arrested on a murder charge in Kerala’s history. The three belong to the Kottayam archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church.

The archdiocese, exclusive for the Knanaya sect, is said to comprise the descendants of Knayi Thoma (Thomas of Cana), a West Asian trader, who had arrived in Kerala in the fourth century AD along with several other families.

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