Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 22 (IANS): Former Higher Education Minister K.T. Jaleel on Tuesday alleged that retired High Court Judge and Lok Ayukta Justice Cyriac Joseph had defended the prime accused in the infamous Sister Abhaya murder case.

In 2001, Jaleel had to step down as education minister after the Cyriac Joseph found him guilty of abusing his office in an appointment made by his department.

Currently a legislator who won as an independent candidate of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front, Jaleel believes that if not for Joseph's judgement, he would have been given a second term as a state minister in the second Pinarayi Vijayan government.

While interacting with media in the state Assembly, Jaleel alleged that Joseph, while being a judge, had intervened in the sister Abhaya murder case to save an accused Fr Thomas A.M. Kottur who was a close relative of his co-brother.

"This has come out before also and I am repeating it. Joseph can do two things -- either resign from his present job or file a case against people like me, who have raised this allegation," said Jaleel.

"It's high time Joseph breaks his silence on this as his intervention has been made in a statement to the CBI," added Jaleel.

Sister Abhaya was found dead in a well at a convent in Kottayam on March 27, 1992 and in the case, a CBI Special Court in December 2020 sentenced Fr Kottur to two life terms and co-convict Sister Steffi to life imprisonment.