Abhaya case: Court allows cross-examination of docs

Thiruvananthapuram: CBI special court has allowed the cross-examination of doctors who conducted the narco-analysis of Abhaya case accused Sr Stephy.

Lawyers of the accused had opposed the examination of the doctors saying that narco analysis was illegal.

A. Jose, who represented the accused Fr Thomas Kottoor and Sr Sephy, approached the CBI court against cross-examining Dr Praveen and Dr Krishnaveni who conducted the test on Sr Sephy saying that the Supreme Court had clarified that narco-analysis was not admissible as evidence in a court of law.

However, the court while taking up the case on Saturday, overruled their objections.

Meanwhile, former sub-inspector P. T. Jacob testified that the crime branch had not returned to the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) office many of the objects took way during its probe.

Earlier last week former head constable Sankaran had also testified the same.

The court had on Friday gone for an in-camera hearing of Dr Lalithambika Karunakaran who examined Sr Sephy to protect the privacy of the defendant.

Dr Lalithambika, who was head of the department of obstetrics and gynaecology and Dr P. Rema, head of forensic medicine, of Alappuzha Medical College, constituted the two-member medical team which examined Sr Sephy in 2008.

Their findings submitted to the CBI was that Sr Sephy had undergone hymenoplasty to repair her hymen. Hence the virginity of the nun could not be determined; the doctors had informed the CBI.