Father Thomas Kottoor, one of the persons convicted by a CBI Special Court for the murder of Sister Abhaya, has moved the Kerala High Court in appeal against the verdict confirming his guilt..The case is slated to be heard tomorrow by a bench of Justices K Vinod Chandran and MR Anitha..Kottoor, along with Sister Sephy, a nun of Pius Convent Kottayam, were convicted in December by a CBI Judge, Thiruvananthapuram for the murder of 20 year-old nun Sister Abhaya. Thereafter, they were sentenced to imprisonment for life and were also directed to pay a fine of Rs. 5 Lakh each.Apart from the Rs. 5 Lakh fine imposed on the two, Father Kottoor was also directed to pay a sum of Rs. 1 Lakh for house trespass..[Sister Abhaya murder] All you need to know about the Special CBI court verdict.In an end to the case, which was Kerala's longest-running criminal trial, CBI Judge K Sanilkumar concluded that Sister Abhaya was killed after she witnessed Father Thomas Kottoor and Sister Sephy in a compromising position. Having witnessed this, she was hit on the head with a 'hand axe' (that caused the head injury) and thrown into a well to cover up the cause of her death, he additionally opined.
