Durg (Chhattisgarh) [India], August 2 (HBTV): Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Saturday welcomed the decision of the NIA Special Court to grant bail to two Kerala-based nuns arrested in Chhattisgarh on human trafficking charges, calling it a ‘joyful day’.

‘This is a very joyful day. We made efforts for their release. We set out five days ago, and we’ve completed whatever tasks we were given,’ the former Union Minister told mediapersons outside Durg Jail, where he received the two nuns after their release. CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar and other leaders were also present.

The two nuns were arrested in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, on charges of human trafficking. Their legal counsel confirmed on Saturday that they had been granted bail by a local court.

Advocate Gopa Kumar, representing the nuns, said, ‘A case of human trafficking was registered under BNS section 143. We argued that this section cannot be applied to the case. So the court has granted bail today. They cannot go out of India, and a bail bond of INR 50,000 each needs to be furnished. The bail will be granted in a few hours.’

An advocate representing the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is handling aspects of the case, also confirmed the development. ‘The bail order has been passed, and conditional bail has been given to them. The conditions include that they must not leave India and cannot influence the investigation. Around five such conditions have been imposed. We have received the court order and will study it in detail,’ the NIA counsel said.

On Friday, a special NIA court in Bilaspur took up the bail application of three persons, including the two nuns. The defence counsel argued that there was no material evidence to suggest the accused were involved in forcible religious conversion or human trafficking.

The nuns were arrested at Durg Railway Station in Chhattisgarh on July 25.

(ANI)