2nd accused in Sister Abhaya murder case moves Kerala high court

Kochi, Nov 21 (UNI) Second accused in the Sister Abhaya murder case Fr Jose Puthrukkayil today filed a petition in the Kerala high court, chalenging the order of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ernakulam, granting CBI 14 days' custody of the three accused in the case.

The petitioner contended that the remanding of an accused to police custody for 14 days at a stretch was illegal and violative of human rights.

He also submitted that the CBI had violated the guidelines which should be followed while arresting a person and had kept him in custody for more than 30 hours before producing him in court.

Submitting that the CBI was bound to narrate the prior history of investigation and likelihood of further clues in the remand application, Fr. Puthurukkayil said that this was not done in the application before the CJM's court.

The petition is likely to come up on Monday.

Fr. Puthurukkayil was arrested alongwith first accused Fr. Thomas Kottoor on November 18 while third accused Sister Sephi was arrested on November 19 by the CBI, the first arrests in the 16-year-old case pertaining to the death of a 21-year-old nun, Sister Abhaya, in a convent in Kottayam in March, 1992.

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