Kelara: Catholic priest sentenced to 20 years jail last year pleads HC for bail

Kerala: A Catholic priest from Kerala who was sentenced to 20 years in jail last year for raping and impregnating a minor girl has moved the court seeking temporary suspension of his sentence and released on bail.

The 52-year-old rape prisoner Robin Vadakkurmchery's bizarre plea mentions that he wants to marry the rape survivor and also take care of the child born to her.

However, it is improbable that his plea will be accepted by the Kerala High Court. The priest was convicted in 2019 on three charges, 20 years for each. However, the court later allowed him to serve all three sentences together.

The crime took place in 2016 when Robin Vadakkumchery was a community priest at a church in Wayanad and was also an office-bearer at a school. The then 16-year-old girl was repeatedly raped and impregnated. The survivor gave birth to a baby in May 2017.