C'garh court reserves its order on nuns' bail pleas

Hindustan Times

3 days ago

A special court in Bilaspur on Friday has reserved its order on the bail applications of three people including two Catholic nuns from Kerala who were arrested on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion. C'garh court reserves its order on nuns' bail pleas
The accused, Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, along with Sukaman Mandavi, were arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Durg railway station on July 25, following a complaint by a local Bajrang Dal member. The complainant alleged that the trio had trafficked and forcibly converted three young tribal women from Narayanpur district.
The hearing took place on Friday in the court of Principal District and Sessions Judge (NIA Court) Sirajuddin Qureshi. Public Prosecutor Dauram Chandravanshi opposed the bail applications, citing the early stage of the investigation.
The court is expected to deliver its order on Saturday.
Defence counsel Amrito Das argued that the accused were detained solely on the basis of unverified allegations, and no significant materials were recovered from them.
'The prosecution has not even sought their custodial interrogation. The alleged victims are all adults, already practicing Christianity, and have been sent back home,' he said. He also pointed out that the statements of the women's parents confirmed that they were not being taken away forcibly or fraudulently.
The case has taken on political overtones, with a high-profile delegation from the Kerala unit of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) visiting Chhattisgarh on Friday to meet the arrested nuns.
The team included MPs Hibi Eden and Kodikunnil Suresh, who alleged that referring the case to a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court by the Durg sessions court was a deliberate attempt to delay bail.
'There is a conspiracy behind shifting the case to the NIA court. It's intended to prolong the legal process and keep the nuns behind bars,' said Suresh, speaking to reporters at Raipur airport. He added that protests were already underway in Kerala, condemning the arrests.
MP Hibi Eden questioned the legality of the detention: 'If it's not the jurisdiction of local police or the sessions court, and the NIA is taking over, then why are the nuns still in jail after five days?' He described the arrests as 'unlawful and unjust' and blamed the ruling BJP for targeting Christians.
Eden also alleged that in some northern states, Christians have to seek approval from right-wing groups to conduct religious services.
'This is unacceptable in a secular country,' he said, adding that the Congress delegation had also approached the Union Home Minister and written to the Prime Minister regarding the case.
The arrest has sparked a political row, with both the Congress and the CPI(M) slamming the move. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, however, has accused the opposition of politicising the matter and interfering with a police investigation.
Adding another twist to the case, one of the women allegedly being trafficked, 21-year-old Kamleshwari Pradhan, has claimed she was coerced by Bajrang Dal activists into giving a false statement. She also alleged that the police failed to properly record her version of events. According to Pradhan, her family has been practicing Christianity for the last four to five years.