NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has written to the Government of Kerala seeking details of the Sr Abhaya murder case, following media reports that a virginity test was conducted on Sr Sephy, the third accused in the case.
“The Commission on Wednesday took suo-moto cognizance of the matter. The Commission will take further action against those involved, including the CBI, once the government furnishes the details of the case,” National Commission for Women member secretary S Chatterjee told media.
“The commission has asked for the details of the case, based on media reports. We have sent the letter on Wednesday and are awaiting the report from the State Government,” he said.
“There is an allegation that a virginity test was conducted on Sr Sephy and that the language used in the CBI chargesheet was vulgar.
If true, this is a serious matter and amounts to impingement on the dignity of a woman”, the letter addressed to the State Chief Secretary stated.
The Kochi unit of the CBI on July 17 had filed a chargesheet in the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Ernakulam, against the first three accused in the case – Fr Thomas M Koottor, Fr Jose Puthrukkayil and Sr Sephy.
In the chargesheet, the CBI acknowledged that the probe was conducted using scientific methods, including polygraph test, brain mapping test, brain finger printing test and narco analysis, which pointed the needle of suspicion to the three accused.
The CBI chargesheet also stated that the two male accused were in the habit of making nocturnal visits to the convent hostel where Sr Abhaya was staying and were present there, along with the third accused, on the fateful night.
It was to substantiate this version that the agency had ‘examined’ the accused nun’s claim of virginity. According to the chargesheet, Sephy was examined at the T D Medical College, Alappuzha, to find out whether she had ‘vaginal sexual intercourse’.
“There was no necessity for a nun, who is a virgin, to undergo hymenoplasty/surgical interference.
The only reason for such corrective surgery is to conceal evidence of the rapture of hymen due to frequent vaginal sexual intercourse”, the chargesheet said, making conclusions about the virginity of the accused.
