A special CBI court in Kerala on Wednesday sentenced a Catholic priest and a nun who were found guilty of murdering Sister Abhaya, a teenaged nun, to life terms, ending a legal battle that dragged for close to three decades.
The court sentenced Father Thomas Kottoor, 73, to life in jail for murder and trespass to commit a punishable offence and another seven years for destroying evidence.
Sister Sephy, 57, was handed the life term for murder and another seven years in jail for destroying evidence.
Each of them was slapped with a penalty of Rs 5 lakh under IPC Section 302 (murder) and Rs 50,000 each under IPC Section 201 (destruction of evidence).
Sister Abhaya Case : 17 Circumstances Which Led CBI Court To Convict Father Thomas Kottoor & Sister Sephy
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Visual from the hospital where both accused persons were taken for medical checkup before shifting to jail. (Photo/ANI)
Kerala: Priest, nun found guilty in 28-year-old Sister Abhaya case ANI | Updated: Dec 23, 2020 08:31 IST
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], December 23 (ANI): After 28 years the special CBI court here on Tuesday pronounced the verdict in Sister Abhaya case that both accused Fr. Thomas Kottoor and Sr. Sephy are guilty.
After the verdict, the nun broke down, while the priest on his way to jail shouted from the police vehicle that he is innocent .
The CBI court found Fr. Thomas Kottoor guilty of murder (IPC 302), causing disappearance of evidence of the offence, or giving false information to screen offender (IPC 202) and house-trespass in order to commit an offence (IPC 449) while Sr. Sephy was found guilty of murder and causing disappearance of evidence.
Highlights
The court also slapped a fine of Rs five lakh each on two convicts
The 19-year-old Catholic nun`s body was found in a well inside St Pius Convent in Kottayam district of Kerala on March 27, 1992
Thiruvananthapuram: A special CBI court in Kerala sentenced two convicts in the Sister Abhaya murder case to life imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs five lakh each on Wednesday. After nearly 28 years, the special CBI court had on Tuesday pronounced the verdict in Sister Abhaya murder case holding both accused Fr Thomas Kottoor and Sr Sephy guilty.
After the verdict, the nun broke down, while the priest on his way to jail shouted from the police vehicle that `he is innocent`.
Sr Abhaya (21) was found dead in the well at St Pius X convent on March 27, 1992. The crime branch and initital CBI teams that probed the case had concluded it as either suicide or murder with culprits who couldn’t be traced. However, the courts refused to close the case and ordered further inquiry.
In 2008, CBI DSP Nandakumaran Nair arrested Fr Thomas Kottoor, Sr Sephy and Fr Jose Puthrukayil in the case. Fr Poothrikkayil was later discharged by the high court for lack of evidence.
According to the CBI chargesheet, Sr Abhaya woke up around 4am on the fateful day and came down the stairs of the hostel and proceeded to the kitchen area to fetch water from the refrigerator, when she saw the two accused in a compromising position. She was subsequently attacked and murdered by the accused.
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