Karnataka - Bangalore   

Abhaya case: CBI to quiz lab officials

BANGALORE: A team of officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation are here to question Director B.M. Mohan and former Assistant Director S. Malini of the Forensic Science Laboratory on the narco-analysis conducted on the three accused in the Sister Abhaya murder case.

The team, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Nandakumar Nair, arrived here to interrogate the officers of the lab who have been accused of editing and manipulating the compact discs pertaining to the narco-analysis.

Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ernakulam, K.A. Baby, on Thursday, gave 10 days for the CBI to question those concerned in the lab and retrieve the original CDs.

The case relates to the murder of Sister Abhaya, whose body was found in the well of the Pius X Convent Hostel in Kottayam in 1992. Following a prolonged investigation, the CBI charged Fr. Thomas Kottoor, Fr. Jose Puthrikayil and Sister Sephy with involvement in the murder. The three were later subjected to narco-analysis in the lab, which was conducted by Ms. Malini.

She was recently dismissed from her post by the Karnataka government for submitting fake SSLC (10th standard) marks card during her appointment.

Following allegations that the CD containing the narco-analysis video was tampered with, the lab submitted to the court three CDs which it claimed were the originals. The Magistrate directed the Thiruvananthapuram-based Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT) to ascertain the authenticity of the three CDs.

In its report submitted on June 22, the C-DIT pointed that these were also edited and manipulated.

The CBI officers, who are coming to the city for the second time in this connection, will be looking for the original CDs.

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