Arrested Kerala nuns granted bail by NIA court in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur
Bilaspur/Thiruvananthapuram: The NIA Court in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, on Saturday granted bail to the two Kerala nuns who were arrested last week on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion. The court had completed hearing arguments on the bail plea on Friday.
Sister Preeti Mary and Sister Vandana Francis, both members of the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate — a congregation under the Syro-Malabar Church in Alappuzha district — were directed to submit a bond of Rs 50,000 each along with two sureties. They have also been ordered to surrender their passports.
With the court’s decision, the path has been cleared for their release, ending an ordeal that began on July 26. The two had been working at a hospital in Agra and were escorting three women from Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district to the city for employment as kitchen helpers in a convent when they were intercepted by Bajrang Dal activists at a railway station.
Acting on the activists’ complaint, police arrested the nuns and a man named Sukhman Mandavi, accusing them of human trafficking and attempted religious conversion.
The case sparked widespread outrage, particularly in Kerala, where the arrests triggered a rare show of unity between the ruling CPI(M)-led Left and the opposition Congress-led UDF. Both political fronts sent delegations to Chhattisgarh, with leaders frequently visiting the nuns in jail and staging protest marches across the state. The issue also found an echo in both Houses of Parliament.
On Saturday, a large contingent of lawmakers from both the Left and UDF were present at the Bilaspur court during the hearing. Congress MLA Roji M. John, who has been in Bilaspur, described the bail as a moment everyone had been waiting for. Jose K. Mani, MP, said the priority now was for the investigation officer to drop all charges against the nuns. The brother of Sister Preeti expressed gratitude to everyone who supported the family during the crisis.
Kerala BJP leaders also claimed credit, with party general secretary Anoop Antony stating their efforts had paid off. State BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who had been in regular contact with Church leaders and had appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for intervention, is expected to reach Bilaspur later in the day.
Meanwhile, AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal, whose Lok Sabha constituency includes the sisters’ convent, visited authorities on Saturday morning and expressed hope for a resolution. He also met with the inmates and offered words of comfort.
The nuns are expected to walk free shortly. The two sisters will also be allowed to travel freely within the country, as there is no travel ban on them.