Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai
Chennai, Apr 13: A pastor from Coimbatore, who had been on the run after being accused of sexually assaulting two underage girls, was arrested by a special team of Tamil Nadu Police in Munnar, Kerala, and has been remanded in judicial custody until April 25.
The accused, 37-year-old John Jebaraj, served as a pastor at Kings Generation Church on Cross Cut Road in Coimbatore. He was found hiding in Munnar after evading authorities for several weeks. A tip-off led to his capture by a special police unit led by Inspector R. Arjun Kumar.
Jebaraj was booked under multiple sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act by the All Women Police Station in Coimbatore Central. The charges stem from a disturbing incident that allegedly took place on May 21, 2024, during a function at his home in GN Mills.
According to police sources, one of the survivors, a 17-year-old girl adopted by the pastor’s father-in-law, revealed the alleged abuse to a relative, prompting the initial complaint. Investigators later identified a second victim, a 14-year-old girl who lived in the pastor’s neighborhood.
Jebaraj, who gained popularity through Christian devotional concerts and had a considerable following among young people on social media, also had ties to Levi Ministries, a well-known Christian organisation.
Following the filing of the case, Coimbatore City Police Commissioner A. Saravana Sundar formed three special teams under ACP T.H. Ganesh to track Jebaraj’s movements. A lookout notice was issued amid concerns he might try to leave the country.
After being brought back to Coimbatore, Jebaraj was taken to the Central Women's Police Station in Gandhipuram for questioning before being produced in court, where the magistrate ordered his remand.
The investigation into the case is ongoing, and authorities have assured strict legal action.