Additional charge sheet filed in Fr Thomas murder case

Four Catholic priests among seven named in the document

The City police have filed an additional charge sheet in Father K J Thomas’ murder case, naming seven people said to be known critics of Archbishop of Bangalore, Bernard Moras.

Father I Anthappa, a Rajyotsava awardee; Father Chesara, a leading Christian composer and writer; Rita Rini, editor, ‘Maathu Kathe’, a Kannada monthly; Father A Thomas, president, Kannada Catholic Priests’ Conference; Raphael Raj, general secretary, Akhila Karnataka Catholic Christara Kannada Sangha; Anthony Prasad, vice president of the Sangha; and Father Anbu John have been named as accused in the additional charge sheet filed by the Yeshwantpur police on November 26 in the first Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

The accused have moved the sessions court seeking anticipatory bail, while the magistrate court has issued non-bailable warrants against them. The police said they were yet to arrest the accused.

Father Thomas, Rector of St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary, Malleswaram, was murdered on March 31, 2013.

The police had filed the first charge sheet on June 17, 2014, which named Father Illyas, Father William Patrick and Peter and the trio is serving time in Parappana Agrahara prisons. The second charge sheet runs into 10,000 pages and other supporting documents.

The accused are said to have executed their plan on March 31, 2013, as it was Easter time and they knew that all the students and most priests in the seminary – except Fr Thomas and a few others – would be on leave.

Illyas, Patrick, Peter and others met near Yeshwantpur Circle on the night of March 31, walked up to the seminary armed with rods and other deadly weapons. 

On reaching there, they broke open the locks of the seminary rooms and started searching for documents. Fr Thomas caught them in the act and when he questioned them, they fatally assaulted him.