A Durg sessions court refused to hear bail pleas of two Kerala-based nuns arrested for human trafficking and religious conversion, citing lack of jurisdiction. The accused must now approach a special court for relief.
Durg: On July 30, in a recent legal development from Chhattisgarh, a sessions court in Durg district has stated that it does not have the jurisdiction to hear the bail applications of two Catholic nuns who were arrested on serious charges of human trafficking and religious conversion.
The incident has attracted attention due to its sensitive nature involving allegations of forced conversion and trafficking of tribal women.
The two nuns — Preethi Merry and Vandana Francis — who hail from Kerala, were arrested on July 25 by the Government Railway Police (GRP) at the Durg railway station. Along with them, a third woman named Sukaman Mandavi was also detained.
Their arrest came after a local Bajrang Dal functionary filed a complaint, accusing them of forcibly converting three tribal women from the Narayanpur district and attempting to traffic them. Narayanpur is known for being a tribal-dominated area in the state.
On Wednesday, July 30, the sessions court heard their bail applications but decided to dispose of them on jurisdictional grounds.
The court clarified that it does not have the authority to take up cases under Section 143 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with human trafficking offences. Therefore, the accused will have to approach a special court that has the legal power to deal with such matters.
Quoting the court’s stand, lawyer Rajkumar Tiwari, who spoke to PTI, said,
“The sessions court disposed of the bail application of the nuns observing that it does not have the jurisdiction to hear cases under section 143 (human trafficking) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and that they may have to move a special court for further legal action.”
At present, both nuns are lodged in the Durg Central Jail. Their arrest and continued custody have raised concerns among church groups and human rights advocates, given the nature of the charges and the background of the accused.
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