CBI Court finds Priest and Nun guilty of murder
Team News Riveting
Kochi, December 22
Sister Abhaya finally gets justice after 28 years as a special CBI court in Kerala found Father Thomas Kottoor and Sister Sephy of the Catholic Church guilty of murder.
Another accused Father Jose Poothrikkayil was discharged earlier over lack of evidence. The judgment comes 28 years after the young nun was found dead in the well of St Pius Tenth convent, where she stayed. Abhaya’s parents Thomas and Leelamma passed away a few years ago awaiting justice for their daughter.
On March 27, 1992, Sister Abhaya was found dead in the well of Pius Tenth Convent at Kottayam. Initially, the local police investigated the case and tried to cover up the evidences stating that Abhaya’s death was a case of suicide.
Displeased with the investigation and following people’s outrage, the Kerala High Court transferred the case to the Kochi unit of CBI in 2008 November. On November 17, Father Thomas Kottoor, Sister Sephy and Father Jose Poothrikkayil were arrested by the CBI.
The findings by the medical team assumed significance as the CBI, in its chargesheet, had stated that Sr Abhaya had found Fr Thomas Kottoor, Fr Jose Poothrikkayil and Sr Sephy in a compromising position near the kitchen when the young victim went to drink water. They killed Sr Abhaya, fearing she would expose them.
Special CBI Judge K Sanal Kumar, who handed down the guilty verdict, would announce the quantum of punishment tomorrow.
The Court had rejected the discharge pleas of Kottoor, 69 and Sephy, 55 observing that there were sufficient grounds for prima facie presuming that the two had committed offences punishable under Indian Penal Code sections 302 (murder) and 201 (destroying evidence) read with section 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
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