Fr Abraham Varghese and Fr Jaise K George, two of the four Kerala priests, accused of raping and blackmailing a woman in Kerala have surrendered before a local court, after a Supreme Court order. This comes a week after the Supreme Court dismissed their anticipatory bail plea. Two Malankara Orthodox Church priests were among the four accused of sexually assaulting a woman from Thiruvalla.
Father Abraham surrendered before a court in Thiruvalla town today and the other priest, Father George surrendered before the police in Kollam district.
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The incident came to light after the 34-year-old married woman alleged that the four priests sexually abused her by using her confidential confessional statement. She alleged that they uploaded videos on the internet and they used them to blackmail her. The Crime Branch of the Kerala Police had on July 2 registered a case against Father Varghese and three other priests on the basis of a statement given by the woman who belonged to the same church.
On July 19, Father Sony Varghese and Father Jaise K George were granted protection from arrest by the top court till it pronounced a verdict on their anticipatory bail pleas.
The two other priests, who were arrested last month, are out on bail.
