Chhattisgarh NIA Court grants bail to two Kerala nuns
A SPECIAL NIA Court in Bilaspur granted bail to two Kerala Christian nuns, Preethy Mary and Vandana Francis, who were arrested on allegations of unlawful religious conversion and human trafficking of three women from Narayanpur last week by the Chhattisgarh police.
They were arrested from the Durg police station last week on July 24 and have been under judicial custody since then. Nuns Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, along with Sukaman Mandavi, a resident of Narayanpur, have been in custody.
The arrest followed allegations by Bajrang Dal members, who accused them of forcibly converting three girls from Narayanpur and engaging in human trafficking.
Their bail application was later moved to the NIA court in Bilaspur after the Durg sessions court declined jurisdiction, agreeing with the State's request for the case to be heard by a special court.
The petitioners submitted that three women were voluntarily travelling with the nuns for a job in their institution.
They also submitted the statement of the parents of the women, who stated that the women went with their consent for employment. Their arrests had led to widespread protests by Opposition political parties and Christian organisations.
“The court has granted conditional bail to all three,” said defence lawyer Amrito Das, confirming the decision. He further noted that the prosecution had not requested custody for further interrogation and that the alleged victims had already been sent back to their homes.
At Friday’s bail hearing, Das contended that there was no substantial evidence indicating that the accused had engaged in any act of forced conversion or trafficking.
The court, after hearing arguments from both sides, reserved its decision until Saturday.
The case had been filed under serious sections of the Indian Penal Code, including those related to human trafficking and unlawful religious conversion.
LDF slams arrests as attack on civil liberties
In Kerala, the arrests have been met with widespread condemnation, particularly from the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), which has announced statewide protest gatherings on 3 and 4 August across all 140 assembly constituencies.
Speaking to the media, CPI(M) State Secretary MV Govindan said:
“The Party does not see this as an isolated issue concerning just a few individuals. What is at stake are the fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution, including freedom of religion, freedom of movement, and other civil liberties, which are now being openly challenged.”
He went on to condemn the apparent complicity of law enforcement officers at the scene of the arrest:
“The shocking visuals of Bajrang Dal and other Sangh Parivar members confronting nuns while the police stood by silently have been seen by the entire world. To expose such dangerous and unconstitutional actions and to defend the rights of the Indian people, the LDF will organise protest gatherings across all 140 constituencies in Kerala on August 3 and 4.”
Political and religious tensions escalate
The arrest of the nuns has further fuelled tensions around religious freedom and minority rights in India. Religious and human rights organisations have criticised what they see as a pattern of harassment and targeting of minority communities under the guise of anti-conversion laws.
With the case now under judicial scrutiny and protests looming in Kerala, the issue is set to remain a flashpoint in the ongoing national debate over religious liberty and constitutional rights.
