Chhattisgarh: Kerala nuns’ bail plea reserved by NIA court, notice on issue declined in RS
Bilaspur: A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Bilaspur on Friday reserved its order on the bail plea of two Kerala-based nuns, Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, arrested in a controversial case involving allegations of human trafficking and forced religious conversion earlier this month.
The court, presided over by Principal District and Sessions Judge Sirajuddin Qureshi, is expected to pronounce its decision on Saturday.
The nuns, along with a third accused, Sukaman Mandavi, were detained at Durg railway station on July 25 following a complaint lodged by a Bajrang Dal functionary.
The FIR, registered under the Chhattisgarh Religious Freedom Act and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, alleges that the trio attempted to traffic and forcibly convert three young women from Narayanpur district. However, defence counsel Amrito Das argued that the women are adults who have been practising Christianity for several years and were voluntarily travelling to Agra for employment at a convent.
He further submitted that the police have failed to produce any substantive evidence and did not seek custodial interrogation.
“The case diary has been submitted, and we have placed all relevant facts before the court. The FIR is based on suspicion, not proof. The alleged victims have returned home, and their families have denied any coercion,” Das told reporters.
Special Public Prosecutor Dau Chandravanshi, representing the NIA, maintained that the charges warranted serious scrutiny.
“We believe this is a case of human trafficking. The investigation is at a preliminary stage, and the court will decide based on the material presented,” he said.
The case has ignited political and public debate across the country. On Thursday, Rajya Sabha MPs John Brittas and P. Santosh Kumar of the CPI(M) submitted notices under Rule 267, seeking suspension of regular business to initiate a discussion on rising incidents of religious intolerance and the treatment of tribal converts. Parliamentary tensions again escalated on Friday as two Rajya Sabha members—Jebi Mather (Congress) and A.A. Rahim (CPI-M)—submitted a notice under Rule 267 seeking suspension of regular business to discuss the “unjust” arrest of two nuns in Chhattisgarh and the broader issue of religious intolerance against tribal converts.
The Deputy Chairman, Harivansh Narayan Singh, however, declined the request, citing procedural non-conformity and the sub-judice nature of the matter.
The issue is expected to be raised in the Upper House next week, with opposition parties demanding a broader inquiry into communal tensions in tribal regions.
The arrests have also drawn criticism from church leaders and human rights advocates, who allege misuse of legal provisions to target minority communities.
The outcome of Saturday’s bail hearing is likely to have implications beyond the courtroom, as questions of constitutional rights, religious freedom, and administrative accountability continue to dominate the national discourse.