Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured a delegation of Kerala MPs that both the Centre and the Chhattisgarh government will not oppose the bail plea of two Malayali nuns currently jailed in Chhattisgarh on charges of attempted religious conversion. Shah also indicated that steps to quash the case could be considered after bail is granted.
The assurance came during a meeting on Thursday with members of both the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF). Shah advised the MPs to file a fresh bail application in the trial court and expressed confidence that bail would be granted within two days.
Shah added that the Chhattisgarh government would contest the recent Sessions Court order transferring the case to a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court, describing the ruling as “legally flawed.”
“There is no political interest in the case,” Shah reportedly told the MPs, adding that both the Union and state governments would manage the legal process jointly and with a sympathetic stance.
UDF MP Francis George, part of the delegation, confirmed Shah’s position. “He made it clear that both governments will not oppose the bail application. He acknowledged that the nuns are innocent, even though events unfolded unfortunately,” said George. He added that a follow-up meeting could be required to seek a complete quashing of the case.
Also read: Left MPs urge Shah's help over nuns' arrest, cite hostile climate
LDF MP NK Premachandran echoed similar views, noting that Shah appeared convinced of the nuns’ innocence. He criticised the Sessions Court’s transfer of the case to the NIA as unlawful, adding that both governments would explore all legal means to restore the case to the Sessions Court.
Left MPs also submitted a formal letter to Shah requesting urgent steps to secure the release of the nuns from judicial custody.
Sisters Vandana Francis and Preeta Mary, members of the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate, were arrested at Durg railway station on July 25 alongside tribal man Sukaman Mandavi. Their arrest followed accusations by Bajrang Dal activists, who alleged they were taking three women, one of them tribal, to Agra for forced conversion to Christianity.
They face charges under Section 143 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to trafficking, and Section 4 of the Chhattisgarh Religious Freedom Act, 1968. These offences are punishable by up to ten years’ imprisonment and a fine of ₹2 lakh.
The controversy deepened after Union Minister George Kurien called the bail plea “premature” and “a mistake”, suggesting it could imply guilt. Kurien sidestepped questions on whether the BJP had misled Christians in Kerala and instead criticised Congress MPs from Chhattisgarh for their silence, hinting they knew “real facts” of the case.
The issue has created unease within the Kerala BJP, especially after prior talks between Kerala BJP general secretary Anoop Antony and Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma hinted at a supportive stance. However, the state’s prosecution later backed Bajrang Dal’s opposition to bail, arguing the Sessions Court lacked jurisdiction.
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