Chhattisgarh Court Denies Bail to Nuns, Citing Jurisdiction Concerns

Speedy Summary:

• A Sessions Court in Durg,Chhattisgarh,disposed of bail applications for two nuns and a resident from Narayanpur,citing lack of jurisdiction under the National Inquiry Agency (NIA) Act 2008.
• The accused – Preethi Mary,Vandana Francis (nuns),and Sukman Mandavi – were arrested on July 25 at Durg railway station for alleged human trafficking and forcible religious conversion.
• The court advised the applicants to seek relief in a special court designated to handle cases under relevant laws like Section 143 of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023.
• The nuns submitted their innocence during bail appeals, stating that three women voluntarily traveled to Agra as Christians without any force or inducement for conversion.
• Arrests stem from complaints by a Bajrang Dal functionary; protests have emerged across political lines in Kerala.
• CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat visited the jailed nuns on July 30 and described their arrests as unconstitutional, further demanding their release.

Read more: Catholic denominations protest arrests.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The case showcases legal complexities due to overlapping jurisdictions influenced by provisions in both Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (new penal code) and NIA Act. Irrespective of legal positionings or procedural objections cited by courts at this stage, accusations such as forcible conversions frequently enough amplify deeper socio-cultural debates aligning religion with tribal integration or economic migration patterns within India.

Protests emerging from distant states like Kerala underline larger nationwide anxieties over religious freedoms even beyond immediate locales. neutral adjudication across demarcated laws will determine outcomes while highlighting governance accountability regarding communal sensitivities driving friction/diplomatic statements intertwined into such events.