Priest, nun convicted in Sister Abhaya murder case
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday found the two accused in Sister Abhaya’s murder case guilty and their quantum of punishment will be announced on Wednesday, bringing a dramatic end to the 28-year-old case.
Both accused Thomas Kotoor and Sister Sefi were found guilty of murder (Section 302 of the IPC), Section 449 (house trespassing to commit a crime) and Section 201 (destroying evidence) and other sections of the IPC. Special judge K Sanil Kumar will hear the convicts on Wednesday before reading out their sentences. Third accused Sister Sefi broke down in court after hearing the verdict but the main accused Kotoor later said he was innocent and he will prove his innocence in the court of God. Second accused in the case Father Jose Poothrukayil was let off by the trial court last year after no evidence was found against him.
While most of the witnesses had turned hostile during the trial, the court said a few prosecution witnesses were strong and convincing. The CBI took over the probe after material evidence in the case was either destroyed or tampered with by the local police and crime branch. But its meticulous and scientific probe earned the central agency a lot of praise.
Sister Abhaya (19), a plus-two student, was found dead in the well of the Pious X Convent in Kottayam in March 1992. It was initially dismissed as a suicide by the state police and crime branch, but the CBI later concluded that it was murder. In 2009, the CBI charge-sheeted Catholic priest Thomas Kottoor and Sister Sefi in the case. Still it took 11 years to reach its logical conclusion due to prolonged legal battles.
Abhaya’s brother lauded the verdict. “God is great. Justice has been done to my sister, though it is delayed,” he said.
Activist Joman Puthanpurakkal who single-handedly took up the case said his 28 years of work had turned fruitful finally. “It is a slap on the face of church authorities who shamelessly protected the murderers,” he said.
Former Deputy SP of the CBI Verghese P Thomas, who first investigated the case and later resigned from the agency alleging that he was pressurized by his senior officers to make it a suicide case, also expressed his happiness. “I paid a heavy price for embracing truth. I resigned when I had eight-nine years service. Most of my batch-mates were later promoted as DIG and IG. Today I feel my sacrifice was worth it,” he said. Leading a retired life, he said his conclusion that it was a clear case of murder had been proved right.
Legal experts have also hailed the verdict. “It is a good day for the judiciary. Truth prevailed finally. Credit goes to the CBI team headed by Nandakumar Nair and activists like Jomon Puthanpurakkal,” said senior lawyer B Jayashankar.
According to the CBI chargesheet, on the day of her death, Abhaya got up early to study and went to the kitchen to wash her face. The charge-sheet surmised that she came to know of a reported affair among the two priests and nun and was killed because they feared she may disclose what she had witnessed.
She was first attacked with an axe and later dumped in the well, the CBI claimed. Although the case created a sensation in Kerala, the church stood by the accused, saying the accused were innocent.
Interestingly, the CBI had filed three reports in the case; in first report it said the death of Abhaya was a case of “homicidal suicide.” But this report was rejected by the court, which ordered a fresh investigation. In the second report, the agency said it could not establish beyond doubt whether it was a suicide or murder.
It is a slap on the face of church authorities who shamelessly protected the murderers JOMAN PUTHANPURAKKAL , Activist