The chargesheet submitted in the Chief Judicial Magistrate court in Ernakulam on Friday names Fr Thomas Kottoor as first accused, Fr Jose Puthrukayil as second accused and Sister Sephy as third accused. The name of fourth accused V V Augustine, a former assistant sub-inspector attached to the Kottayam West police station, has not been included in the list of accused as he had committed suicide. Charges of murder and destruction of evidence have been slapped against the three main accused.



The CBI case is that Abhaya came down to the kitchen of the convent in the wee hours of March 27, 1992 when she saw the three accused having sex. The trio confronted her and one of them struck her with a hand-held axe on the head. Later, the three of them threw her body into the well. The CBI now says that Abhaya may have drowned in the well and died. The chargesheet would be revised after incorporating evidence received from the narco analysis to be done on three more persons.