Category: Crime

A CBI Special Court on Wednesday sentenced Catholic priest Thomas M Kottur to two life terms and co-convict Sister Steffi to life imprisonment for the murder of Sister Abhaya in Kottayam 28 years ago. Judge K Sanilkumar also imposed fines of Rs 5 lakh each on the two convicts.

Kottur has to pay additional Rs 1 lakh as fine as he was also found guilty of trespassing the Pious Tenth Convent, where Sister Abhaya was found dead in a well on March 27, 1992. Kottur was handed the second life imprisonment under Section 449 for barging into the convent.

Kottur was handed the life imprisonment and fine after conviction under Section 302 of the IPC. Sister Steffi was also convicted and fined under the same Section, apart from 7 years of rigorous imprisonment for tampering with evidence under Section 201.

The convicts will have to undergo both punishments concurrently.

Earlier, Kottur’s counsel argued that he was suffering from various ailments and required regular shots of insulin as he was a chronic diabetic.

Sister Steffi’s counsel too argued that she was the sole support of her parents and that her pension money helped them survive. However, the court did not buy the defence arguments and handed them life imprisonments.

Joemon Puthanpurakal, Convener of Sister Abhaya Action Council, said: “The judge has acted as a representative of God; after 28 years, Sister Abhaya has got justice. It’s God’s will to give maximum punishment to the culprits, who committed the cold-blooded murder.”

He said that their fight will continue as the convicts will certainly move the higher courts for reprieve. “I will fight till the last as these culprits will move the higher courts to get relief. I will go to any extent to see to it that this judgment is upheld.”

Varghese P Thomas, a former CBI Deputy SP and the first Investigating Officer who had come out with the report that Sister Abhaya was murdered, told the media: “It’s a clear judgment and both convicts given maximum punishment just short of death penalty. Justice has been upheld. It shows that truth can prevail even after so many years.”

Thomas was forced to take voluntary retirement from service after his superior officers opposed his findings in the Sister Abhaya case.

Professor Thresiamma, now a retired Professor of BCM College at Kottayam and one of the witnesses, said: “Truth will always prevail. Even after so many years, truth has come out….”

“I think it was my divine duty to be a witness in this case and its God’s will that I am part of this.”

Thresiamma was a teacher of Sister Abhaya, who was pursuing a pre-degree course at the BCM College at the time of her death. Thresiamma was one of the few witnesses who stood their ground amid intimidation and threats and offers.

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In a landmark judgement on Tuesday, a CBI court here after nearly three decades of Sister Abhaya murder, found two of the prime accused guilty in the ‘infamous’ case that has seen several ups and down and even a third accused set free.

The judge K. Sanalkumar, however, reserved the sentencing on the quantum of punishment for Wednesday for Catholic priest Thomas M.Kottur (first accused) and Nun Steffi (third accused).

The judgment took 28 years to come by.

Varghese P. Thomas who quit the CBI while he had 10 years of service was the first officer who found out that Abhaya was murdered. He burst into tears as he told the media on Tuesday that finally the truth has come out.

Thomas was under duress from his senior officer, who wanted his findings from the murder to be a suicide, which was flatly denied by Thomas. He then quit in disgust.

The second of the prime accused in the case — another Catholic priest Jose Poothrikkayil, however has been discharged by the same court in 2018.

Abhaya, an inmate of Pius X convent in Kottayam, was found dead in the well of the convent on March 27, 1992.

The case had dragged on with initially both the Crime Branch and the CBI dismissing it as a suicide, however, public activist Joemon Puthenpurackal formed an Acton Council and pursued the case.

The turnaround in the case happened after Puthenpurackal, managed to get the case reopened, following which the 13th batch of CBI officials cracked the case and on November 19, 2008.

The three accused were among Poothrikkayil, a former Malayalam professor at the Kottayam college where Abhaya studied; Kottor, the Diocesan chancellor of the Catholic Church at Kottayam and Steffi, a resident of the convent when the incident took place.

On January 1, 2009, all three accused though had managed to get bail.

Puthenpurackal, said that this is a victory of the people of Kerala and the media and the biggest victory is for the judiciary.

“This CBI court has delivered the real justice and the crucial witness — Raju, then a petty thief, had stood his firm ground, despite pressure from vested interest.

“He is the happiest person as justice has been delivered. After that incident he stopped stealing and started work as a daily labourer. God has worked in this case, through Raju. I waited for this judgment and even if I die today, I will die as the happiest person,” said Puthenpurackal.

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