The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday called for records from the trial court in the Michaelpatti school girl death case. Sister Sagaya Mary, who has been accused of abetment of suicide of the girl student of a Christian missionary-run school in Thanjavur district, has sought to quash the chargesheet filed against her by the CBI.
Justice G. Ilangovan sought the records and adjourned the hearing in the case. Earlier, in 2022, the High Court ordered a CBI probe into the death by suicide of the girl. Her parents had alleged that she was forced to do domestic chores at the hostel, and was asked to convert to Christianity.
The CBI has ruled out the religious conversion angle and informed the court that the girl had taken the extreme decision because she was asked to do certain administrative tasks and not because she was asked to convert to Christianity.
The petitioner, Sister Sagaya Mary, contended that the case of the prosecution was that the girl was forced to do domestic chores at the hostel. It was said that student could not concentrate on her studies and this had caused mental stress. The case was baseless and misconceived and she was falsely implicated in it. There was no prima facie case established against her, the petitioner said.
The CBI filed the final report before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Tiruchi on May 8, 2024. The petitioner is the sole accused and has been charged with the offences under the Indian Penal Code and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. The case was committed to the Tiruchi Principal District and Sessions Court and transferred to the Mahila Court in Tiruchi.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416, Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050 and Speak2Us helpline at 9375493754.)
Published - October 28, 2024 08:03 pm IST
