Thiruvananthapuram: A special CBI Court at Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday sentenced to life imprisonment Father Thomas M Kottoor and Sister Sephy, a priest and a nun of the Catholic church respectively, for the murder of Sister Abhaya 28 years ago.
The culprits were also imposed a fine of Rupees 5 lakh each under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. Kottoor was imposed an additional fine of Rupees one lakh for the offence under Section 449 of the Indian Penal Code.
The prosecution pleaded for maximum sentence for the culprits by arguing that case belonged to "rarest of rarest category". It was argued that the murder was gruesome as Kottoor and Sephy were duty bound to protect Abhaya, being her teacher and hostel warden respectively.
The defence lawyers pleaded for leniency in sentence. It was submitted that Kottoor, aged 71, was suffering from cancer and Sephy has aged parents to take care of.
Special CBI Judge K Sanilkumar had found Kottoor and Sephy guilty of murder yesterday accepting the case of the Central Bureau of Investigation that Sister Abhaya was murdered by the convicts after she happened to witness their intimate exchanges inside the convent.
While Kottoor has been found guilty for offences under Sections 302(murder), 201(destruction of evidence) and 449(criminal trespass) of the Indian Penal Code,Sephy was held guilty for offences under Sections 302 and 201 IPC.
Earlier, On Tuesday, the CBI court had convicted the accused in the case.
Snail pacing over 28 years after Sister Abhaya was found dead in a well, the case has been through many hurdles like crucial witnesses turning hostile, before the court delivered a guilty verdict.
Sister Abhaya, a nun of the Knanaya congregation and resident of Pius X convent in Kottayam, was pursuing second-year pre-degree at Kottayam BCM College at the time of her death.
She was found dead in the well of convent on March 27, 1992 becoming one of the most recondite deaths in the state. Soon there emerged three accused in the case namely Fr Thomas Kottoor, Fr Jose Poothrukayil and Sister Sephy.
Abhaya, according to the prosecution charge, witnessed the three accused in a " objectionable circumstances" and the accused then hit her with a hand axe before dumping her in the well of the convent.
CBI special court in March 2018 let off one the accused Fr Poothrukayil for want of evidence for his presence at the convent.
(With inputs from agencies)