BishopAccountability.org
	CBI Lists Evidence in Sister Abhaya Murder Case Times of India December 10, 2008 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/CBI_lists_evidence_in_Sister_Abhaya_murder_case/articleshow/3819686.cms KOCHI: In fresh revelations in the Sister Abhaya murder case, the CBI on Wednesday said it had evidence that a senior police officer had put "immense pressure" on a former policeman, who recently committed suicide, to "manipulate" records in the sister Abhaya case. CBI counsel M V S Namboodiri told the High Court, which was hearing the bail plea of the three accused, that there was sufficient evidence - oral and circumstantial against Father Thomas Kottur, Father Jose Puthrikayil and sister Sephi, who were arrested by CBI last month in connection with the 16-year-old case. Abhaya's body was found in the well of the ST Pius convent at Kottayam in 1992. Three priests-- A V Michael, Thomas Thzeppilly and T Jose - had informed the CBI that they had seen the two priests "roaming" near the St Pius convent, of which sister Abhaya was an inmate, the counsel claimed. They had also stated that "Abhaya had witnessed sexual act of the two priests with a lady partner and this had been corroborated in the narco analysis test", he said. Evidence of K K Varghese, who took the photographs of Abhaya after her body was pulled out from the well, revealed that there were injuries on her neck, he said. The counsel said that it also had evidence to show that Assistant Sub-inspector V V Augustine, who was the first reach the convent after Abhaya' death was reported and committed suicide about two weeks back, faced "immense pressure" from a senior police officer to "manipulate" records in the case. The court had sought the details when petitions by the three accused seeking bail came up before the court. The High Court had said that an "unseen" hand was at work to "jettison the truth" when it ordered CBI to hand over the case to its Kochi unit in September.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.