Kerala: Catholic priest gets 20 years imprisonment in rape case

Thalassery, Feb 16: Thalassery POCSO court Saturday sentenced Catholic priest Robin Vadakkumchery (50) to 20 years rigorous imprisonment for raping and impregnating a minor girl in Kannur. He has been sent to 60 years rigorous imprisonment in 3 charges including rape. He can serve all the 3 sentences together.

Thalassery Judge P.N. Vinod also fined the priest from the Mananthavady diocese in Wayanad district Rs 3 lakh after it was established that he had raped and impregnated a minor girl in 2016.

In 2017, the police arrested Robin Vadakkumchery alias Mathew Vadakkumchery,the parish vicar at St. Sebastian Church, Neendunoki, Kottiyoor, in Kannur district on the charge of raping a minor girl.

He was suspended from the post with immediate effect by the Bishop of Mananthavady.

The Priest of Catholic Diocese of Mananthavady was accused of raping a minor who was a school student and attempting to destroy evidence of the crime. The case had become a challenge for the investigating authorities with even the parents of the survivor refusing to give a statement against the priest.

While the main accused along with others who helped him cover up the crime have been arrested, two more nuns surrendered before the police on Thursday but were let off on bail.