Thiruvananthapuram: After nine days in custody, a legal battle, and a political storm, two Kerala-based Catholic nuns arrested in BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh on charges of forced conversion and human trafficking walked out of Durg Central jail Saturday afternoon.
Granting them bail, Special Judge at Bilaspur NIA court Sirajuddin Qureshi observed that the registration of the FIR, based on the complaint of a Bajrang Dal activist, was based on “mere apprehension” and “suspicion of the offence”. The bail order, accessed by ThePrint, states that the parents of the three victims submitted affidavits saying the nuns did not coerce them into conversion or trafficking.
“Out of the three major/adult victim girls, two deposed in their statements before the police under Section 180 of the BNSS, 2023, that they have been followers of Christianity since childhood,” the order read. The court also noted that the applicants are not habitual offenders.
The nuns, Sister Preethi Mary (45) and Sister Vandana Francis (50), were arrested at Durg railway station on 25 July, along with a third person, Sukaman Mandavi, following a complaint by Bajrang Dal activist Ravi Nigam, alleging forced religious conversion and human trafficking. They were charged under Sections 143 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (human trafficking) and Section 4 of the Chhattisgarh Religious Freedom Act (forced religious conversion).
Though a bail plea was initially submitted at a sessions court in the state, it was rejected Wednesday, with the court directing that the petition be filed in the NIA court instead.
Meanwhile, the case also took a political turn in poll-bound Kerala, with both the ruling Left and the United Democratic Front targeting the BJP over the arrest in a state ruled by the party. Both fronts accused the BJP of “double standards” for political gains, pointing to its attempts to court the Christian community in Kerala. Along with the Left and Congress, the various church bodies also took to the streets, demanding bail for the nuns.
Notably, representatives from all three political fronts were present at the NIA court during the bail hearing, alongside the nuns’ family members, all of whom celebrated the release. The bail also came a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised intervention in the matter.
The NIA court noted that the prosecution failed to demonstrate why continued custody was necessary for the investigation. However, it clarified that the bail order should not be interpreted as a judgment on the merits of the case, which will be decided later.
As part of their bail conditions, the nuns are not allowed to leave India and must each submit a bond of Rs 50,000. They must inform the NIA investigating officer of their address and report to the Station House Officer of the police station in their jurisdiction once every fortnight. They are also strictly prohibited from speaking to the media.
The nuns had previously submitted that they would cooperate with the investigation, were willing to provide surety, and would comply with any conditions set by the court.
“The three girls are adults, and were travelling to Agra of their own free will. They are all followers of Christianity, and the allegation of forced religious conversion is absolutely false and baseless,” the bail application had said. The opposing counsel, however, had raised concerns about the nuns absconding, as they are based in Kerala.
Welcoming the decision, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) thanked the central and Chhattisgarh governments for their intervention.
“We appreciate and thank the Government of India and the Government of Chhattisgarh for the timely intervention. At the same time, we urge the government to uphold the rights of all minorities, particularly the right to follow one’s religion as guaranteed by the Indian Constitution,” Father Mathew Koyickal, deputy secretary general of the CBCI, told media persons in Delhi.
Father Thomas Tharayil, joint secretary of Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) told ThePrint that this case should be a turning point. “We are happy the sisters were granted bail. But things like this should never happen again. That should be the outcome of this case.”
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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