Sister Abhaya murder case: Cop found dead in Kottayam

Sister Abhaya's murder case took a creepy turn as former additional sub-inspector who prepared the FIR was found dead in his home in Kerala's Kottayam district.

V.V. Augustine, the 75-year-old police official who conducted the murder investigation, 16 years ago, apparently committed suicide by slashing his wrist, according to media reports.

The incident comes a week after police arrested two priests and a nun for their suspected involvement in the murder of Abhaya, who was found in the well of her Pius X convent in Kottayam.

Police claimed that Augustine, who was suspected to have helped destroy evidence, was under mental stress, even as CBI continued probing his role in the murder case. This led to his suicide, they say.

The Kerala High Court meanwhile on Monday flayed the CBI for not complying with legal requirements while filing a report seeking custody of the three accused in the murder case.

Justice Basant said the CBI should have submitted to the court details of the evidence against the accused in a sealed cover. "The investigation officer is bound to disclose the grounds for the arrest of the accused in the remand report," he charged.

The mysterious murder of Sister Abhaya has been taking different turns, even as police questioned Archbishop Mathew Moolekkatt of Kottayam on Monday.

"I had been summoned by the CBI and I answered all their questions," the prelate told reporters.

Kottayam archdiocese meanwhile in a press release said the facts leading to the arrests were "mysterious". It also said the "innocent" priests and the nun suffered physical and mental harassment for 16 years as police linked them with the case without having ample evidences.