Two Malayali nuns, detained for alleged religious conversion, await a bail verdict from the NIA court in Bilaspur. The Chhattisgarh government opposed bail despite lobbying from Kerala BJP leaders, while the defense argues the case is fabricated.
Raipur: The prosecution has firmly opposed granting bail to the Malayali nuns currently held in Chhattisgarh. At the NIA court in Bilaspur, government lawyers objected to their bail application, leading the court to reserve its verdict, which will now be pronounced tomorrow.
Despite lobbying from BJP leaders in Kerala, the Chhattisgarh government maintained its stand against bail. The nuns were represented by senior advocate Amrito Das, who appeared for them during the proceedings. The church leadership, after much deliberation, opted to file for bail in the NIA court rather than approaching the High Court, citing concerns about further procedural delays. The two Malayali nuns have been detained for eight days on allegations of religious conversion; their families were hopeful for bail but must now await the court's decision.
Bail Hearing Concludes
According to the Public Prosecutor, the outcome now depends solely on the court’s judgment, noting that the investigation remains in its early stages. The hearing on the bail application concluded at 5 PM, after which a lawyer for the Bajrang Dal also voiced opposition to bail before the court.
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On the defense side, Amrito Das stated in remarks to Asianet News that the prosecution did not provide any novel arguments and only reiterated standard objections. He expressed optimism that the court will issue a favorable ruling, believing that the defense successfully conveyed that the case is fabricated.
Political Ramifications Intensify in National Capital
Meanwhile, the matter escalated politically with intense activities in Delhi. Union Home Minister Amit Shah summoned the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and BJP State President Rajiv Chandrashekhar to Parliament for discussions. Both houses of Parliament faced strong opposition protests and rejected notices demanding debate on the arrests. Subsequently, Amit Shah held a meeting with Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel at his Parliament office.
