Raipur: The legal fate of the two Malayali Catholic nuns arrested in Chhattisgarh has reached a decisive juncture, with the NIA Special Court in Bilaspur set to pronounce its verdict on their bail plea tomorrow. In a significant development, the prosecution has firmly opposed granting bail, maintaining that the case is in its preliminary investigation phase and thus, premature for release.
The two nuns Sister Vandana Francis and Sister Preethi Mary have been behind bars for the past eight days, charged under sections related to alleged forced religious conversion and human trafficking. Despite appeals from religious and political leaders, the Chhattisgarh state government has maintained a hardline stance against their release, presenting its objections during the hearing held in the NIA court on Friday.
Renowned senior advocate Amrito Das represented the nuns in court, arguing that the case lacks sufficient material to justify continued detention. After detailed deliberations, Church leadership and the legal team concluded that pursuing bail through the NIA court in Bilaspur rather than escalating the matter to the High Court was a more timely and pragmatic move, given the urgency of the situation.
However, the prosecution remained unswayed. Stressing that the investigation is still in its infancy, the public prosecutor urged the court to deny bail, asserting that the gravity of the accusations warranted custodial interrogation. Adding to the prosecution’s stance, a legal representative associated with Bajrang Dal also voiced opposition to the bail, reinforcing the narrative of alleged misuse of religious cover for conversion.
The court, after an exhaustive session that lasted until 5 p.m., reserved its judgment, confirming that a verdict will be delivered tomorrow.
While courtroom arguments unfolded in Bilaspur, the issue sparked political ripples in Delhi. Union Home Minister Amit Shah summoned Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai to Parliament for a closed-door meeting to discuss the political sensitivity surrounding the case. The meeting, held at Shah’s office, was also attended by BJP state president Rajiv Chandrasekhar, underlining the central leadership’s serious engagement in the matter.
Interestingly, while Kerala BJP leaders have actively called for justice and intervention, the Chhattisgarh BJP-led government stood firm in court, opposing the bail request a contrast that has stirred discontent among observers and Church-affiliated organizations.
In Parliament, opposition leaders raised the matter vocally, demanding an urgent discussion on what they termed a blatant violation of religious and constitutional freedoms. However, both houses rejected the notice for debate, adding to the frustration of protestors and families of the accused.
The families of the detained nuns, along with Church leaders, had expressed optimism earlier in the week that bail would be granted. But Friday's proceedings have cast doubt over that hope, with the prosecution’s resistance and the wider political undertones influencing perceptions of the case.
As the clock ticks down to tomorrow’s ruling, the case continues to resonate far beyond the court premises testing the boundaries between law, faith, politics, and minority rights in India’s increasingly polarized socio-political climate. All eyes now turn to Bilaspur, where a single court order could either offer the nuns a chance at freedom or extend their time behind bars.