2 Kerala priests accused of rape, blackmailing married woman surrender

Thiruvananthapuram: Two of the four Kerala priests of Malankara Orthodox Church, accused of raping and blackmailing a married woman in Kerala for several years, surrendered before a local court on Monday.

The Supreme Court on August 6, rejected the anticipatory bail plea of the two priests - Father Sony Varghese (the main accused in the case) and Father Jaise K George -  and asked them to surrender before the trial court by August 13 and then seek regular bail.

The priests surrendered before a court in Thirvalla district on Monday.

The four priests Abraham Varghese (A1), Job Mathew (A2), Dr Johnson Mathew (A3) and Jaise K George (A4) belonging to the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church were booked by the state crime branch for allegedly raping and molesting the woman devotee.

The 34-year-old married woman has alleged that the priests uploaded videos on the internet and they used them to blackmail her. The woman also accused Father Abraham Varghese of sexually abusing her since she was 16.

According to the woman’s statement to the state crime branch, she was in a relationship with Father Varghese in 1999. At that time, she was 16 years old. He went on to become a priest but forced her to continue the relationship, even though they were married to separate individuals.

Father Johnson Mathew and Father Job Mathew are already on bail.

The National Commission of Women (NCW) had, last month, recommended abolishing practice of ‘confessions’ in churches as they felt it can lead to blackmailing of women.

The suggestion came at the wake of a number of women alleging rape and sexual abuse by priests and church officials. However, the women's commission recommendation drew sharp criticism from the Catholic church and churchgoers.