Chhattisgarh court grants bail to two Kerala nuns in human trafficking case

A special court in Chhattisgarh granted bail to three individuals, including two Kerala nuns, arrested for human trafficking and forced religious conversion. The court reserved the order on their bail pleas and granted conditional bail after a hearing on Friday. The alleged victims had been sent back to their homes, and the prosecution did not ask for custody for interrogation.

A special court in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur district has granted bail to three individuals, including two Kerala nuns, who were arrested on charges of human trafficking and forced religious conversion. The court reserved the order on their bail pleas and granted conditional bail after a hearing on Friday [1].

The two nuns, Catholic sisters Preethi Merry and Vandana Francis, along with Sukaman Mandavi, were arrested at the Durg railway station on July 25, 2025, following a complaint from a local Bajrang Dal functionary. The complaint alleged that the nuns had forcibly converted three girls from Narayanpur and trafficked them [1].

The court granted conditional bail to the trio, with their defense lawyer Amrito Das stating that the prosecution did not ask for their custody for interrogation. The alleged victims were sent back to their homes following the bail hearing [1].

The incident has sparked controversy, with members of the Christian community protesting the arrest of the nuns. Former MLA J.R. Lobo, along with other Congress leaders, has called for the immediate release of the nuns, alleging that the charges are false and politically motivated. They have criticized the Chhattisgarh government for allegedly prioritizing statements from Bajrang Dal members over testimonies from those traveling with the nuns [2].

The bail decision comes amidst political tensions in the region, with upcoming elections in Kerala. The BJP in Kerala has expressed condemnation of the nuns' arrest, while the Chhattisgarh government has cited the matter as a judicial one, preventing their intervention.

References:
[1] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/chhattisgarh/chhattisgarh-court-grants-bail-to-two-kerala-nuns-in-human-trafficking-conversion-case/article69886298.ece
[2] https://www.mangalorean.com/former-mla-j-r-lobo-calls-for-immediate-release-of-detained-christian-nuns-alleges-false-charges-and-conspiracy/