CBI court convicts Kerala priest, nun in 1992 Sister Abhaya murder case

The main accused Father Thomas Kottoor and Sister Sefi were held guilty by CBI special court judge J Sanal Kumar. The quantum of punishment will be pronounced by the court on Wednesday, said media reports.

According to reports, Sister Abhaya was then a class 12 student and her body was dumped in the well of the Pious X Convent in Kottayam, which was recovered on March 27, 1992.

Media reports said Father Thomas Kottoor was a Vicar and taught Sister Abhaya psychology at Kottayam's BCM College while Sister Sephy, stayed in the same hostel as Sister Abhaya and was de facto in-charge of the hostel.

The local police, after initial investigation, had said sister Abhaya had committed suicide which triggered widespread outrage.

In 1993, the case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and after investigation of over a decade, the probe agency, in its report, named and arrested two Catholic priests, Father Thomas Kottoor and Father Jose Poothrukayil, and Sister Sefi on March 27, 1992.

In its charge-sheet, the probe agency said that it was possible that Sister Abhaya had witnessed "some sexual activity" between Father Kottoor and Father Poothrukayil and Sephy on March 27, 1992 and may have been killed as the priests feared that she may reveal what they had seen.

 Kottoor was arrested in 2008. He was secretary to the then Bishop and also rose to be Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese in Kottayam.

Poothrikkayil was acquitted by a CBI special court in 2018, but the discharge petitions of Kottoor and Sephy were rejected.