Abhaya case: CBI arrests two priests in Kerala

Kochi, Nov 19: In the first breakthrough in the 16-year-old Sister Abhaya murder case, the CBI has arrested two priests, Fr.Thomas Kottoor and Fr. Jose Poothrikkayil. The two are to be produced before the Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate court later on Wednesday, Nov 19, CBI officials said.

According to unconfirmed reports, Sister Seffy of the Pious X Convent, Kottayam, had also been arrested. Reports said that the two priests were arrested at Kottayam on Tuesday, Nov 17 evening. The CBI had last year conducted narco-analysis tests on Fr. Thomas Kottoor and Fr. Jose Poothrikkayil and Sister Seffy and had reportedly found evidence of their involvement in the murder of Sister Abhaya.

The body of 21-year-old Sister Abhaya, an inmate of the Pious X Convent in Kottayam, was found in a well of the convent on the morning of March 27, 1992.

While the police had initially described the case as a suicide, later investigation by the CBI and forensic reports had indicated that she was raped and murdered.

These are the first arrests in the case so far.

UNI