Confessional rape: Orthodox priest arrested based on secret statement

Kerala has been following two Church rape cases that shook it citizens to their core. One is the confessional rape case.

One of the priests of the Malankara Orthodox Church booked for raping a homemaker by threatening to reveal her confessional secret, surrendered before the Crime Branch police here on Thursday. Fr Job Mathew, the second accused, was later arrested and questioned at the commissioner’s office here.

The HC had earlier refused to stay their arrest and dismissed their pleas for anticipatory bail. Crime Branch IG S. Sreejith interrogated Fr Job Mathew. 

READ ALSO: Priests in the Orthodox church behaved like predators : High Court

The 34-year-old victim had given a secret statement before the Thiruvalla Judicial First Class that she was sexually assaulted by the priests.  Fr Job Mathew, the second accused, was later arrested and questioned at the commissioner’s office here.

The High Court had earlier refused to stay their arrest and dismissed their pleas for anticipatory bail. Crime Branch IG S. Sreejith interrogated Fr Job Mathew. He was later produced before the magistrate at Pandalam.

The Crime Branch police have charged IPC Sections 354 (assault to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 376 (rape) against the priests Job Mathew, Jaise K. George, Abraham Varghese and Johnson P. Mathew, based on the statement given by the victim.

The 34-year-old victim had given a secret statement before the Thiruvalla Judicial First Class Magistrate based on section 164 of CrPC reiterating her claim that she was sexually assaulted by the priests.  According to the statement, she was sexually abused by Fr Abraham Varghese before her marriage while she was just 16. The woman later confessed this before Fr Job Mathew in 2009, who also abused her.