Sister Abhaya murder case | Father Thomas Kottoor, Sister Sephy sentenced to life imprisonment
Updated:
Updated:
December 23, 2020 23:26 IST
Father Thomas Kottoor and Sister Sephy were also imposed a fine of ₹5 lakh each by the CBI special court
Share Article
AAA
In this combo picture, Fr. Thomas M. Kottoor and Sister Sephy leave the Vanchiyur court premises in Thiruvananthapuram on December 22, 2020.
| Photo Credit: T. Nandakumar
Father Thomas Kottoor and Sister Sephy were also imposed a fine of ₹5 lakh each by the CBI special court
A special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here on Wednesday sentenced Fr. Thomas M. Kottoor and Sister Sephy to life imprisonment for the murder of 19-year-old novice Sister Abhaya, who was found dead in a well at Pious X convent of the Knanaya Catholic order in Kottayam in March 1992.
Thiruvananthapuram, December 23
A CBI special court on Wednesday sentenced to life imprisonment the catholic priest and nun, who were found guilty of the murder of Sister Abhaya in Kottayam 28 years ago.
Special CBI Judge K Sanal Kumar pronounced the sentence against two accused - Father Thomas Kottoor and Sister Sephy - and slapped a fine of Rs 5 lakh on each of them.
The court had on Tuesday found the two guilty of the murder of Sister Abhaya, who was found dead in a well in St Pius convent in Kottayam in 1992.
The duo was also sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for tampering with evidence. The sentences will run concurrently.
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.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was on August 29, 2019, the third day of trial, that Adakka Raju was examined as a witness in the case by the CBI.
On the first day, Sister Abhaya’s hostel mate Sister Anupama and on the second day neighbour Sanju P Mathew had turned hostile, forcing the CBI counsel to allege that all witnesses were influenced. Then, Raju walked into the dock and resolutely said that he had seen two men, including Fr Thomas Kottoor, the first accused in the case, in the St Pius X convent compound in the wee hours of March 27, 1992, the day Abhaya was found dead in the convent well.
Turkey sentences exiled reporter to 27 years jail qatar-tribune.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from qatar-tribune.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.