Will the NIA Court Grant Bail to the Kerala Nuns Tomorrow?

Chhattisgarh/Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 1 (NationPress) The NIA Court situated in Bilaspur has scheduled a decision regarding the bail plea of the two detained Kerala nuns for Saturday after thoroughly reviewing both sides' arguments regarding the application.

The legal representative for the nuns stated that the court meticulously examined the case, as both parties presented their perspectives.

“The court requested the case diary, which was subsequently provided by law enforcement. As is customary, the prosecution fulfilled their role; however, they clarified to the court that the three women involved are not minors. We articulated our defense, asserting that the accusations against our clients are entirely unfounded, and the FIR itself indicates that the claims are based solely on apprehensions. We remain optimistic for a favorable outcome when the orders are issued, expected on Saturday,” the counsel mentioned.

Prior to the hearing, significant discussions took place in Kerala and Delhi. On Friday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, while Kerala State BJP president and former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar convened with Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, the head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), to deliberate on the matter in Kochi.

Archbishop Thazhath expressed the Church's profound concern regarding the ongoing detention of the two nuns, who he affirmed have committed no wrongdoing.

“One of the nuns has dedicated over three decades to serving leprosy patients in the area. Their arrest has left us in shock. We have appealed to Rajeev Chandrasekhar to advocate for their swift release,” Thazhath conveyed to the media.

He further noted that Chandrasekhar was the first political figure to reach out to the Church following the arrests, with Congress leaders also visiting to show their support.

“We only seek justice. After today’s discussions, we are hopeful, particularly since Rajeev assured us that both Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are aware of the situation and have pledged their backing. We also expressed concerns regarding the rising threats faced by our missionaries working beyond Kerala,” he stated.

In subsequent comments to the press, Chandrasekhar stated that both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister had guaranteed him “two days ago” that justice would prevail.

“It has become evident that the Chhattisgarh government will not contest the bail plea. This is a legal matter and should be permitted to proceed through the appropriate channels. Some individuals are attempting to politicize this issue, which is unnecessary,” he added.

He emphasized that the BJP's support is not politically motivated but is born out of principle. “A misunderstanding has clearly occurred. It is important to recognize that topics such as conversion and trafficking are delicate matters,” he remarked.

Chandrasekhar departed for Delhi shortly after the meeting, reportedly to follow up with Amit Shah and other senior officials to expedite a resolution.

On Friday, five Congress MPs — Kodikunnil Suresh, Anto Antony, Hibi Eden, Rajmohan Unnithan, and Dean Kuriakose — arrived in the state, accompanied by two former CPI(M) MPs from Kerala, P.K. Sreemathi and C.S. Sujatha.

Both delegations met with the detained nuns. The arrested individuals, Sister Preeti Mary and Sister Vandana Francis, are part of the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate, a congregation affiliated with the Syro-Malabar Church in Alappuzha district.

They had been engaged at a hospital in Agra.

On July 26, while assisting three women from Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district to Agra for employment as kitchen aides in a convent, the nuns and a man named Sukhman Mandavi were intercepted at a railway station by Bajrang Dal activists.

Following their complaint, the police apprehended the nuns on allegations of human trafficking and forced religious conversion.

A local court subsequently placed them in judicial custody.

In the meantime, the Kerala unit of the CPI-M plans to organize state-wide demonstrations on Sunday and Monday across all 140 Assembly constituencies in response to the Sangh Parivar's agenda targeting minority communities.