2nd accused in Sr Abhaya murder case moves Kerala

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

The petitioner contended that 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 Poothurukkayil said that this was not done in the application before the CJM's court.

The petition is likely to come up on November 24.

Fr Poothrukkayil 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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