Two nuns and a hospital administrator, accused of cover up in a case relating to sexual exploitation of a minor girl by a Catholic priest near Kottiyoor in the district, were granted bail by a local court at Thalassery in the district on Monday. The nuns-Dr Tessy Jose, Gynecologist of Christhu Raj hospital at Kuthuparamba where the girl delivered the baby on February 7, Dr Ancy Mathew, the hospital administrator and Dr Hyder Ali, Paediatrician-were granted conditional bail by the Thalassery Additional Sessions court, Investigating Officer Sunil Kumar said. They had been charged with trying to hush up the incident. Kumar said the three were directed to appear before him every week, surrender their passports before the court and not to influence the witnesses. Four accused in the case, including Wayanad Child Welfare Committee Chairman Fr Thomas Joseph Therakam and its committee member Betty Jose had been released on bail by the court last week. Fr Robin alias Mathew Vadakkencheril, who was vicar of the local church near Kottiyoor and the prime accused in the case, was arrested on February 28 on charges of sexually exploiting and impregnating the 16-year-old girl. The victim gave birth to a child on February 7 at a private hospital in Kuthuparamba in this district. The child was taken to an orphanage at Vythiri in Wayanad district.
