Arrest of nuns: Legal hurdles raise concern, CBCI to file bail plea in High Court; Amit Shah says Centre will not oppose bail plea

NEW DELHI: Despite Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s assurance that the Chhattisgarh government would adopt a favourable stance on granting bail to the two Malayali nuns imprisoned for the past eight days, legal ambiguities continue to persist. Following this, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) has decided to approach the Chhattisgarh High Court. Advocate Amrito Das will file a bail application today on behalf of Sister Vandana and Sister Preeti of the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate congregation.

Amit Shah reportedly assured MPs from Kerala that the Chhattisgarh government would not oppose the bail plea. He also suggested filing a fresh petition before the Sessions Court, which had earlier directed them to move the NIA court. In the case involving allegations of human trafficking and religious conversion, the law under the UAPA requires that the case be transferred to the NIA court based on the state government’s report and with a recommendation from the central government. However, no such recommendation has been issued by the Centre. This legal aspect was pointed out by Amit Shah.

At the same time, if the prosecution changes its stand before the same court where the charges were first presented, it is uncertain whether the court would accept it while the FIR charges still stand. If the court again directs them to approach a higher court, the bail process could face further delays.

The MPs who met Amit Shah include N.K. Premachandran, Anto Antony, Kodikunnil Suresh, Benny Behanan, K. Sudhakaran, Adoor Prakash, Rajmohan Unnithan, M.K. Raghavan, Jose K Mani, Francis George, V.K. Sreekandan, Hibi Eden, Dean Kuriakose, Shafi Parambil, Jebi Mather, K. Radhakrishnan, A.A. Rahim, John Brittas, P. Santosh Kumar, P.P. Suneer, E.T. Mohammed Basheer, Abdussamad Samadani, and Harris Beeran.

Protests prompt intervention

Reports indicate that central intervention followed protests by Church leaders in Kerala and by MPs in Parliament. Discussions were also held in Delhi with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. BJP leaders in Kerala have also been exerting pressure in support of the nuns.

Girl says she went willingly

The local girl from Chhattisgarh involved in the case told a national media outlet that she had travelled to Agra with the nuns of her own free will. She alleged that police threatened her with jail time and falsely recorded her statement in the FIR. “No one forced me to travel. What the police are claiming is wrong. The statement in the FIR was written and added by the police,” she said.

“The central government stands with the nuns and has no political motive in this matter,” Amit Shah told the MPs.