Justice in 3-decade-old Kerala nun murder case hangs in balance

Activist Jomon Puthenpurackal, who headed an action council seeking justice for the nun, had alleged that the CBI failed to properly present the facts before the court

The Kerala High Court's decision to suspend the sentence of a priest and sister in the three-decade-old murder case of nun Abhaya has triggered concerns that the convict may get relief in the appeal as the HC raised suspicions over key evidence.

It was on Thursday that the HC allowed bail to priest Thomas M Kottoor and sister Sephy, who were sentenced to life-term by a CBI special court in Thiruvananthapuram in December 2020 for murdering sister Abhaya at the St. Pius X convent in Kottayam on March 27, 1992.

In the order granting the bail, the division bench comprising Justice Vinod Chandran and Justice C Jayachandran pointed out that prima faice the statement of some of the prosecution witnesses were doubtful.

Activist Jomon Puthenpurackal, who headed an action council seeking justice for the deceased nun, had alleged that the CBI failed to properly present the facts before the court. He was also planning to file appeal against the HC order.

The court raised doubts over one of the key witnesses, Raju alias 'Adakka Raju', a petty-thief involved in stealing areca nut. Raju had stated that when he entered the convent with the intention of robbery during the early hours of the day on which Abhaya was found dead, he spotted the accused in the convent. Raju was widely appreciated for the crucial statement.

The HC also raised doubts over the statement of another prosecution witness social worker Kalarcode Venugopalan Nair. Nair had stated that Kottoor had confessed to him about affair with sister Sephy. The court observed that it could not be considered as evidence for murder. The HC also maintained that the hymen examination report of sister Sephy could not be considered as evidence for the murder.