Court stays trial in nun’s murder case

CRIB 

17-1-2013

The court ordered to issue notices to investigating officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and to the three prime accused.
Kochi: The Kerala High court on Wednesday stayed the trial in the alleged murder of a Catholic nun, admitting a petition seeking further investigation in the 20-year old case.

The court ordered to issue notices to investigating officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and to the three prime accused—two Catholic priests and a nun.

The “Sister Abhaya murder” case is pending before the CBI special court in state capital Thiruvanathapuram and it had earlier dismissed a petition of rights activist Jomon Puthenpurackal seeking further investigations.

However, High Court admitted Puthenpurackal’s plea that said there were serious lapses in the investigation and justice will not be achieved if trial proceeded without further investigation.

The body of Sister Abhaya, the 19-year old nun, was found in the water well of the St Pius X Convent at Kottayam, where she was staying on March 27, 1992.

Initially, the state police of Crime Branch concluded that the death was a suicide. But the petition of nun’s superiors led to a new investigation by CBI, which said Abhaya was murdered. It requested closure of the case for lack of evidence. But court rejected that request.

After 16 years in 2008, CBI arrested Fathers Thomas Kottur, Jose Puthurukkayil and Sister Sephy and in 2009 charges of murder, destruction of evidence, and defamation were filed against them.