Priests acted as predators, says HC

KOCHI: The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church priests involved in a rape case acted as “predators” and they have taken undue advantage of the position of the survivor to their fulfilment, the Kerala High Court observed on Wednesday while dismissing their anticipatory bail pleas.

The court dismissed the bail pleas of Fr Sony Varghese, Fr Job Mathew, Fr Jaise K George and Fr Johnson V Mathew who are the first to fourth accused respectively.

According to the petitioner’s counsel, the case of the survivor is a well-scripted play to tarnish the reputation of the applicants and to humiliate them in front of the public. They also claimed the act committed by them would not come within the ambit of the offence of rape.

Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan observed the victim has been systematically abused by the accused who are all closely known to the family members of the victim. The apprehension the petitioners would tamper the evidence and influence the witness cannot be ignored.