Chhattisgarh NIA Court Delays Bail Decision for Kerala Nuns in Trafficking Case

A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur district reserved its order on Friday for a bail plea filed by two Kerala nuns, Sister Preethi Mary and Sister Vandana Francis, along with Sukhman Mandavi, arrested on July 25, 2025, on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion. Principal District and Sessions Judge Sirajuddin Qureshi deferred the decision until Saturday, August 2, after hearing arguments from both sides, amid escalating political tensions.

The trio was detained at Durg Railway Station following a complaint by a Bajrang Dal activist, Ravi Nigam, who alleged they were trafficking three tribal women from Narayanpur district for forced conversion to Christianity. The accused face charges under Section 143 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for trafficking and Section 4 of the Chhattisgarh Religious Freedom Act, 1968.

Public prosecutor Dauram Chandravanshi opposed bail, citing the early stage of the investigation, while defense lawyer Amrito Das argued the allegations are baseless, noting the women, all adults, were voluntarily traveling for jobs at Fatima Hospital in Agra and were already Christians, negating conversion claims. Parents of the women confirmed to police that no coercion was involved.

The case, initially rejected for bail by Durg’s Sessions Court due to NIA jurisdiction, has sparked outrage in Kerala and Delhi. A Congress delegation, led by AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal, arrived in Raipur on Friday, alleging the NIA referral was a “conspiracy” to delay bail. CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, who visited the nuns in jail, called the charges “fabricated,” accusing the BJP-led Chhattisgarh government of targeting minorities. Kerala’s LDF and UDF, along with BJP’s Kerala unit, have demanded the nuns’ release, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah assuring Kerala MPs on July 31 that bail is likely soon, claiming the NIA referral was unnecessary.

Also Read: Meghalaya CM Urges Chhattisgarh to Drop Charges Against Kerala Nuns in Conversion Row

Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma’s letter to Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai, urging a fair probe, adds to the pressure. As the court’s decision looms, the case underscores concerns over anti-conversion laws and minority rights, with protests intensifying across India.

Also Read: Meghalaya CM Urges Chhattisgarh to Drop Charges Against Kerala Nuns in Conversion Row