In an interim order, a division bench of the Kerala High Court has suspended the life sentences of Catholic priest Thomas Kottur and nun Sefi and granted bail. Let us tell you that both were convicted by the CBI court in the case of murder of Sister Abhaya in 2020. It is known that on 27 March 1992, Abhaya’s body was found inside a well in a convent in Kottayam.
In this case, a bench of Justice Vinod Chandran and Justice C Jayachandran allowed both of them to be released on bail till the decision of their petition challenging the order of the trial court. Let us inform that in December 2020, a CBI court in Thiruvananthapuram had sentenced both of them to life imprisonment after a long legal battle.
Both were charged under section 302 (murder) and section 201 (destruction of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). At the same time, the trial court had accepted the discharge petition of another alleged accused Father Jose Puthrikayil. Let us tell you that Sister Abhaya had seen Kottur and Sefi in an intimate state. After which he attacked Abhaya with the handle of the axe.
After examining the trial court’s decision, a division bench of the Kerala High Court observed, “We cannot release the two accused as an interim measure. However, he can suspend his sentence till the decision is taken on the appeal in this case.
What is the matter: According to the CBI, Abhaya had seen Kottur, Puthrikayil and Sefi in a compromising position inside the kitchen of Payas X Convent Hostel in Kottayam, after which she was murdered. He was afraid that Sister Abhaya would reveal the incident. In such a situation, Kottur strangled him, while Sefi allegedly hit him with an axe. Together they dumped Abhaya’s body in a well in the premises.
Initially, the police closed the case considering it to be a suicide, but later due to public outrage, the case was handed over to the CBI.