Head of Orthodox Church passes away thehindu.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thehindu.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Balachandran Chullikkadu, poet
This Christmas, Kerala is celebrating a reformed thief who is being equated with God’s signature and who has emerged holier than some of the men who wear the cloth.
Raju, then a petty thief, faced a difficult choice 28 years ago.
If he testified against the suspects in the high-profile murder of a nun in a Kerala convent, he would have to incriminate himself by confessing he had been at the site to steal.
The choice he made in 1992 has now helped nail the priest and nun who killed Sister Abhaya and turned him into the toast of Kerala.
Abhaya murder: Kottur gets 2 life terms, Steffi sentenced to life
By IANS |
Published on
Wed, Dec 23 2020 13:48 IST |
0 Views
Abhaya murder: Kottur gets 2 life terms, Steffi sentenced to life. Image Source: IANS News
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 23 : A CBI Special Court on Wednesday sentenced Catholic priest Thomas M Kottur to two life terms and co-convict Sister Steffi to life imprisonment for the murder of Sister Abhaya in Kottayam 28 years ago. Judge K Sanilkumar also imposed fines of Rs 5 lakh each on the two convicts.
Kottur has to pay additional Rs 1 lakh as fine as he was also found guilty of trespassing the Pious Tenth Convent, where Sister Abhaya was found dead in a well on March 27, 1992. Kottur was handed the second life imprisonment under Section 449 for barging into the convent.
The Knanaya Catholic Church chose to keep mum on the court verdict which found two of their members guilty. The official spokesperson of the church said they will not be reacting to the developments.
Father Thomas Kottoor was a vicar and taught Sister Abhaya psychology at the BCM College in Kottayam. He was also secretary to the then bishop of the archeparchy. He later rose to be chancellor of the Catholic diocese in Kottayam. He was also the member of the vigilance commission of the archeparchy of Kottayam. He was removed from the post of chancellor of Kottayam archdiocese last year when the trial was set to begin.
Sr Abhaya murder: Fr Kottur gets two life terms, Sr Sephy sentenced to life
Wed, Dec 23 2020 02:25:45 PM
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 23 (IANS): A CBI Special Court on Wednesday sentenced Catholic priest Fr Thomas M Kottur to two life terms and co-convict Sr Sephy to life imprisonment for the murder of Sr Abhaya in Kottayam 28 years ago. Judge K Sanilkumar also imposed fines of Rs 5 lac each on the two convicts.
Fr Kottur has to pay additional Rs 1 lac as fine as he was also found guilty of trespassing the Pious Tenth Convent, where Sr Abhaya was found dead in a well on March 27, 1992. Fr Kottur was handed the second life imprisonment under Section 449 for barging into the convent.