Kerala Nuns’ Arrest: Sessions Court In Chhattisgarh Declines Bail Plea, Refers Case To Bilaspur HC | File Pic (Consultant Picture)
Raipur: In a setback for 2 Kerala-based nuns presently lodged in Durg jail, a classes courtroom on Wednesday declined to entertain their bail plea, directing the petitioners to strategy the NIA-designated bench on the Chhattisgarh Excessive Court in Bilaspur.
The courtroom dominated that it lacked jurisdiction to listen to the bail utility within the matter, which is being probed below the provisions of the Nationwide Investigation Company (NIA) Act. Regardless of insistence from the nuns’ counsel, the courtroom dismissed the plea.
Simply earlier than the classes courtroom started its listening to, a gaggle of Bajarang Dal activists gathered and began shouting slogans towards the nuns and the best way they have been making an attempt to cowl up a case that, based on them, concerned human trafficking and compelled spiritual conversion.
The complainant within the case is Ravi Nigam. A battery of 5 legal professionals represented him in courtroom throughout the proceedings.
Advocate Jaiswal, current within the courtroom, stated the classes courtroom just isn’t competent to listen to the case and requested them to strategy the Excessive Court. Because the information got here, the Bajarang Dal activists, ready outdoors the courtroom, erupted in celebration.
The difficulty was raised in each homes of Parliament, although it was not taken up for dialogue. Earlier, all MPs from Kerala staged a protest outdoors the parliament.
Later, Congress-led UDF MPs referred to as on Union Dwelling Minister Amit Shah and briefed him on the matter.
Senior lawmakers, together with AICC common secretary Ok.C. Venugopal, have sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to carry the problem earlier than him.
AICC Normal Secretary Ok. C. Venugopal’s Tweet
Venugopal, talking within the Lok Sabha, stated this can be a burning problem in Kerala. Centre should intervene because the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister just isn’t appearing responsibly, he stated.
“Spoke in Parliament demanding the fast launch of Sister Vandana and Sister Preethi belonging to the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate, who have been brutally attacked by Bajrang Dal goons in Durg in Chhattisgarh and later arrested by the police with none motive. As an alternative of upholding the Structure, the Chhattisgarh CM is validating the mob narrative that took the regulation into their very own arms for his or her hateful agenda. The PM and Kerala BJP wax eloquent about their newfound love for Christians, however in actuality, have venom of their hearts towards minorities,” Venugopal posted on X.
Earlier within the day, a delegation led by CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat and together with MPs A.A. Rahim, Ok. Radhakrishnan, and Jose Ok. Mani visited the nuns in jail. Karat condemned the arrest, calling it a transparent case of fabricated expenses.
“The nuns are utterly harmless. It is a focused transfer towards Christians. We demand their fast launch and quashing of the case,” she stated.
Again in Kerala, each the ruling LDF and the Congress-led UDF launched separate protests. Senior Congress leaders, together with KPCC president Ok. Sudhakaran and Chief of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, marched to the Kerala Raj Bhavan, demanding pressing motion.
“That is unacceptable. These nuns are recognized for his or her humanitarian work. The Centre should act decisively,” stated Satheesan.
Later within the night, Church leaders and members of the Christian neighborhood will maintain a protest march to the Raj Bhavan.
The 2 nuns — Sister Preeti Mary and Sister Vandana Francis — belong to the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate, a congregation below the Syro-Malabar Church in Alappuzha district. They’d been working at a hospital in Agra.
On July 26, whereas accompanying three ladies from Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district to Agra for jobs as kitchen helpers in a convent, the nuns and a person, Sukhman Mandavi, have been stopped at a Chhattisgarh railway station by Bajrang Dal activists and later taken into custody by police.
They have been produced earlier than a neighborhood courtroom and despatched to judicial custody. With the classes courtroom now directing the matter to the Excessive Court, the nuns will stay in jail till additional orders.
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