From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Feb 4: The Karnataka High Court has granted anticipatory bail to 86-year old Catholic priest Fr I Anthappa in the gruesome murder case of Fr K J Thomas, the then Rector of St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary at Malleswaram near the Yeshwanthpur police station on the midnight after the Easter Sunday on April 1, 2013.

Justice A V Chandrashekar, who granted anticipatory bail to the priest accused in the murder of Fr K J Thomas, made it clear that the decision was taken purely on the consideration of the old age and health of the priest and not on merit.

Fr K J Thomas (file photo)

However, the single-bench judge of the High Court in the order on Wednesday, directed the priest to surrender before the police within 20 days and furnish a bail bond of Rs 2 lakh. The priest has also been asked to cooperate with the police in the investigation.

But the High Court, in its order, has rejected the anticipatory bail application of Ms Rita Rini, Editor of Maathukathe Kannada journal, who was among the seven more persons, including Fr Anthappa and three other priests, accused of the murder in the second additional charge-sheet filed in November last.

"It is premature to disbelieve the material witnesses and evidence collected by the police against Ms Rita Rini," the High Court said rejecting the plea for granting anticipatory bail.

The police had obtained non-bailable warrants (NBWs) for the arrest of the seven accused, who include Fathers I Anthappa, A Thomas, Chowrappa Selvaraj alias Chasara and Anbu John and Raphael Raj, Anthony Prasad and Ms Rita Rini, from the 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, in whose court the charge-sheet was filed on November 27.

The NBWs had to be executed within 20 days or by December 28 but were, however, not executed so far.

Despite the grant of anticipatory bail to Fr Anthappa and the rejection of the anticipatory bail of Ms Rita Rini, one of the accused in the second additional charge-sheet, the decks seems to have been cleared for the police to arrest all the others accused.

With the arrest of three persons, including two priests, the total number of priests accused of the murder Fr K J Thomas goes up to six and the total number of accused persons goes up to 12, including two persons named in the first charge-sheet and still absconding.

It may be recalled that the Bengaluru police had arrested two priests, Frs Elias Daniel and William Patrick, and a lay person Carmel Peter as the main accused in the murder of Fr K J Thomas, who was then 62, in the precincts of the Seminary and had filed charge-sheets a year after the ghastly murder, which shook the entire Christian community in Karnataka.

Of the two arrested and jailed priests, Fr William Patrick is the General Secretary of Kannada Catholic Yajakara Sangha. He also happens to be the brother of Fr Xavier Patrick, the then Procurator of the St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary and the immediate neighbour of the deceased priest. He, however, did not open the door of his room even as Fr K J Thomas was called out of his room, stabbed and beaten and murdered outside the veranda. The other priest, Fr Elias Daniel belongs to the Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCD), was working in Gulbarga

As the deceased priest hailed from neighbouring Kerala State and belonged to the Ootacamund Diocese in Tamil Nadu, the murder caused a serious disquiet in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as also rest of India and even across the world.

With filing of charge-sheets against seven accused, including four priests, on November 27, the total number of persons accused of the ghastly murder goes up to 12, who include six priests.

Though five persons had been named as the accused in the first charge-sheet filed in March 2014, two persons identified as Francis and Swamy are yet to be arrested as they are absconding. But the three persons arrested in March last year are still in the Parappana Agrahara Jail in the outskirts of Bengaluru.

However, the original murder case is still pending before Bengaluru city’s Principal Sessions Judge Somashekara. The seven persons named in the second charge-sheet will also be tried before the same court.

Of the four priests accused of the murder of Fr KJ Thomas, Fr I Anthappa is the Honorary President of Kannada Catholic Yajakara Balaga and Fr A Thomas is its President. The additional three lay persons charge-sheeted include Ms Rita Rini, Editor of Kannada Weekly Maathukathe, Raphael Raj, General Secretary of Akhila Karnataka Kannada Catholic Christhara Sangha and Anthony Prasad, the Treasurer of Santha Josephara Snehabhivruddhi Sangha (St Joseph’s Friendship Development Association).