28 Years After Sister Abhaya’s Murder, CBI Court To Give Verdict Today

Thiruvananthapuram:

Practically three many years after Sister Abhaya, 21, was murdered and her physique dumped contained in the effectively of a convent in Kerala’s Kottayam, a CBI court docket in Thiruvananthapuram is ready to ship its verdict. The court docket is anticipated to rule on the matter at 11 am at the moment.

The younger girl’s mother and father died 4 years in the past.

Among the many accused is Father Thomas Kottoor, who was a Vicar and taught Sister Abhaya psychology at Kottayam’s BCM Faculty. Kottoor, who was arrested in 2008, was additionally Secretary to the then Bishop. He later rose to be Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese in Kottayam.

One other accused, Sister Sephy, stayed in the identical hostel as Sister Abhaya and was de facto in-charge of the hostel.

In accordance with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Sister Abhaya was witness to intimate contacts between Kottoor, one other Father, Jose Poothrikkayil, and Sephy on March 27, 1992.

This was as she went from her hostel room to the kitchen at round 4.15 AM. Between 4:15 AM and 5 AM, the accused allegedly hit Sister Abhaya with a blunt object and threw her physique in to the effectively to cover-up the crime.

Poothrikkayil, a kind of initially accused, was acquitted by a CBI particular court docket in 2018. Nevertheless, discharge petitions of the opposite two – Kottoor and Sephy – had been rejected.

Police and Crime Department officers initially labelled the incident “demise by suicide” and the case was transferred to the CBI amid protests and petitions. The central company’s first three closing stories had been rejected by the court docket, which wished a extra thorough investigation.

The court docket pointed to numerous discrepancies, together with the truth that canines didn’t bark that evening, the truth that the kitchen door was latched from exterior and that residents of the convent didn’t hear the sound of Sister Abhaya “falling” into the effectively.

In November 2008 the CBI arrested all three accused.

Human rights activist Jomon Puthenpurackal is the lone surviving member of the panel that fought for justice for Sister Abhaya.