By Matters India Reporter
Thiruvananthapuram: God came in the form of a burglar and became a key witness in the Sister Abhaya case, says the convener of the action council that waged a three-decade long battle to get justice for the nun who was murdered in a Kerala convent 28 years ago.
A Central Bureau of Investigation court in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala state capital, on December 22 convicted a Catholic priest and a nun for murdering the 19-year-old Abhaya, a college student.
“The verdict proves that the court cannot be influenced with money and power,” Jomon Puthenpurackal, the action council leader, told reporters after the court found Father James Kottoor of the Kottayam archdiocese and Sister Sephy guilty of murdering Sister Abhaya.
,
Both Sephy and Abhaya belong to the St. Joseph’s Congregation under the Kottayam Archdiocese.
Abhaya’s body was found on March 27, 1992, in the well of St Pius X Convent in Kottayam, some 145 km northwest of Thiruvananthapuram.
The local police initially dismissed the death as a case of suicide, but persistent protests by Puthenpurackal and team forced the authorities to hand over the case to the CBI, a federal agency.
“The people’s trust in the judiciary has increased after this verdict,” Puthenpurackal claims.
According to him, God intervened in the case in the form of a burglar.
“It was God, who came in the form of key witness Adakka (arecanut) Raju and helped prove the case,” he explained.
Raju, who used to steal agriculture produces and other things from neighborhood, had gone to Pius X Convent early on March 27 when he saw two men in cassocks entering the convent flashing torches. He went back frustrated.
He rushed to the convent in the morning after hearing that a nun’s body was found in the well. Raju saw Fathers Kottoor and Jose Poothrikkayil, he had seen at night, there.
Poothrikkayil, the second accused in the case, was let off in 2019 for want of sufficient evidence.
Raju said he was frightened and kept mum, but was arrested after a police’s sniffer dog came to his house. Under intense interrogation Raju narrated to the CBI team what he had seen at the convent that night.
The defense team contested relying on a thief’s version but the court took Raju’s statement a crucial evidence.
Raju said he had to undergo torture for months as the investigator’s wanted to make him the murderer. After he was exonerated, he was offered huge money to turn hostile, as done by seven other prosecution witnesses in the case.
“My biggest desire was to get justice for that child. She got it now. That is all I wanted,” Raju told reporters. He says he and his neighbors have and nothing should happen to them. “It is unthinkable that they disappear one day,” added the man, who continues to live on a 3-cent plot in poor locality in Kottayam.
Puthenpurackal too says the verdict has brought immense joy to him. “I was only a means in the case. I have no regrets if I were to die now,” he said.
He too had to face threats and pressure in his struggle for justice.
“Many people tried even to kill me for standing up for the truth. I studied only upto Class 6 and never thought I would be able to fight for a case. Though a huge amount of money was spent to save the accused, the CBI court stood for the truth,” Puthenpurackal added.
The activist says people who were never part of the campaign now appear on television channels to explain their role in the case.
“Now some people have appeared claiming to be relatives of Abhaya. When I brought her parents to conduct a dharna (sit-in) in front of the secretariat, her brother had said that the case will never be proved. Those who never attended the protests are now appearing before channels and I’m happy to see it,” he added.
Abhaya’s parents – Thomas and Leelamma Areekkara Aikkarakunnel – died four years ago.
Puthenpurackal said he survived tortures and threats to fight for the truth. “I have been waiting for this day for a long time. The accused should be awarded at least life sentence,” he added.
As the local police tried to depict Abhaya’s death as suicide, the action was council was formed on March 31, 1992, with Kottayam municipal chairman P C Cheriyan as president and Puthenpurackal as convener.
After the verdict, the first accused Father Kottoor, a 71-year-old moral theologian, said he was innocent and God is with him. Sephy, 57, the third accused, reportedly broke down hearing the verdict, sat down and asked for water.
Both were taken for medical checkup before transferring them to a jail.
feel sorry a young nun died at an eary age whatever may be the truth. Am glad some perservered for justice. would like to hear the truth from the accused, the horses mouth
The Changanacherry priest was accused of murdering Mariakutty, a Catholic woman, after impregnating her. She was found dead with stab wounds June 16, 1966. The police arrested Father Onamkulam, then in his 40s, after they found some bloodstained clothes in his place. As investigators failed to find the suspects, some believed that the priest had escaped punishment because of the Church´s “money-power.” But years later the truth came out. I do not know what is the truth in Abhaya’s case. But it clearly says Abhaya’s family has a suicide tendency. BUT I WILL NOT TRUST A THIEF AT ANY COST. AFTER ALL HE IS A THIEF. HONESTY MAY NOT HAVE GONE ANYWHERE CLOSE TO HIM. LET GOD DO THE JUDGEMENT AND JUSTICE TO ABHAYA, AND PUNISHMENT TO THE GUILTY IF ONE IS THERE .
Humanity is not dead afterall. Big Salute to Raju. Income Tax and Vigilance should investigate about the money spent by the church on defending the accused. Religious outfits enjoy tax free status not for lavishing money on top lawyers. The entire legal expenses must be disallowed and taxed at appropriate rates. It is believed that when the maid at the convent was summoned by Supreme Court the lawyer who defended her was Mr Harish Salve, one of the most expensive lawyers in India!
Thank God… Those two suffer in prison till they die
Fair minded people will be only happy when guilty is punished. Now if possible, the persons or parties who spent money to save the guilty must be brought before the public. If the authorities committed any such illegality, they should be brought to book
An attempt is being made to portray this judgement as an assault on the church. But those who pursued the case were themselves Christian. So let us not try to water down this judgement. Abhaya is now Vijaya.