SC junks Kerala victim’s plea to marry her rapist

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, August 2

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Kerala rape victim’s petition seeking permission to marry a 53-year-old Catholic priest, who was sentenced to a 20-year jail term two years ago for raping her.

A Bench led by Justice Vineet Saran also dismissed a separate petition filed by defrocked Catholic priest Robin Vadakkumchery seeking bail to marry the victim, who was a minor when raped and had given birth to a child.

“The High Court has taken a decision consciously and we would not like to interfere with its finding,” it said.

The Bench, however, said the victim might approach trial court with her plea.

Vadakkumchery was the manager of a Church-backed-school where the victim was a student of Class 11. The case was registered against the priest at the instance of a child helpline. The girl gave birth to a child on February 7, 2017, and the priest was arrested in February 2017 from near Kochi International airport while allegedly attempting to flee.