A sessions court in Chhattisgarh’s Durg district has declined to entertain the bail petition of two Kerala-based nuns, citing lack of jurisdiction and stating the case should be heard by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Bilaspur. The matter involves allegations of forced religious conversion and human trafficking.
According to Ravi Shankar Singh, secretary of the Durg Advocates Association, the plea was submitted on Tuesday. However, as the designated judge was on leave, an Additional District Judge heard the case. The judge noted that offences charged fall under the NIA Act, and only an NIA court has authority to preside over the matter.
The accused’s legal counsel, Tamaskar Tondon, argued that the FIR filed by the Government Railway Police was based merely on assumptions and lacked a proper inquiry. He emphasized that the women involved were adults and that their families did not oppose them travelling for work. The FIR, he claimed, was filed under external pressure.
Lawyer Rajkumar Tiwari added that the FIR invoked Section 143, triable exclusively by an NIA court. Authorities have 15 days to consult the Centre on transferring the case. Meanwhile, the accused remain in custody.
The arrest of nuns Preeti Marry and Vandana Francis, along with Sukaman Mandavi, has triggered strong political reactions. Left and Congress leaders protested in Parliament, with CPI(M)’s Brinda Karat and former CM Bhupesh Baghel denouncing it as a misuse of power and targeting of minorities.