'Two sureties of Rs 50000 each, passports to be seized'; Kerala nuns granted bail after nine days in prison

NEW DELHI: Kerala nuns Vandana and Preeti, arrested in Chhattisgarh on charges of human trafficking and forced conversion, were finally granted bail after nine days in prison. The verdict was produced by Principal Sessions Judge Sirajuddin Qureshi. They have been asked to provide two sureties of Rs 50,000 each and to surrender their passports to the court. Reports suggest that both of them will be released from jail today after completing the formalities.

The prosecution opposed the bail application in the Bilaspur NIA court yesterday, but did not raise strong arguments today. BJP, Congress, and Left leaders from Kerala were present in front of the jail during the time of the verdict.

Advocate Amruthodas, who appeared for the nuns, argued that the three girls willingly decided to travel with the nuns and denied allegations of human trafficking. The prosecution did not raise any objection to this claim in court. Since the bail application was sent to the NIA court at the request of the prosecution, they were technically obliged to object. For the same reason, the prosecution said that the investigation was just at the nascent stage and left it for the court to decide.

On Friday, the prosecution made a very strong and lengthy argument to deny bail first in the Magistrate's Court and then in the Sessions Court.

With the arrest of nuns in Kerala, the BJP was on the defensive as the Christian community took to the streets in protest. The BJP central leadership had asked the Chhattisgarh government to soften its stance. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had assured Kerala MPs the other day that the government would not oppose the bail application. The bail application reached the NIA court after taking into account the prosecution's arguments.