From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jul 30: One of the two priests accused and sent to jail in the murder of Fr K J Thomas, the then Rector of St Peter’s Pontifical Seminary in Bengaluru, in the small hours of Easter night on April 1 in 2013, Fr William Patrick has been granted bail by the Supreme Court.

Fr William Patrick, who was the Parish Priest of St Francis Church, Kengeri, was arrested along with Carmelite priest Fr Elias Daniel, who was working in Gulbarga, and a lay person Carmel Peter in the year 2014 and all three accused persons were arrested and sent to jail at Parappana Agrahara.

The city police had charge-sheeted five persons, including two who have been simply identified as Swamy and Francis, and were absconding in the year 2014.

Fr K J Thomas

All the three accused and arrested persons had applied for bail from the Principal City Civil and Sessions Court and subsequently approached the High Court and all the attempts in securing the bail from the courts had failed.

SC Grants Bail

Fr William Patrick had filed a special leave petition seeking bail in the Supreme Court and the apex court headed by Chief Justice of India Thirath Singh Thakur, had in his order of July 25, has set aside the Karnataka High Court order denying bail and allowing the appeal directed the Principal City Civil and Sessions Court to grant bail to the appellant-accused (Fr William Patrick) by ``imposing such conditions as it may deem fit.’’

"Having considered the facts of the case the period of custody suffered and the fact that the trial is yet to begin,’’ the Supreme Court Chief Justice of India held that the ``Accused-appellant (Fr William Patrick) be released on bail.’’

Total 12 accused, 6 priests

It may be recalled that the police had filed an additional charge-sheet against seven persons, including four priests - Frs I –Anthappa, A Thomas, Chowrappa Selvaraj @ Chasara and Anbu John – and three others at the end of last year. The other three persons were Ms Rita Rini, Raphael Raj and Anthony Prasad.

With the filing of the second charge-sheet, the total number of persons accused in the murder of Fr K J Thomas went up to 12, including six priests. Of these, Fr I Anthappa had been granted bail on a surety of Rs 2 lakh in view of his old age of 86 and Fr Chowrappa Selvaraj @ Chasara died recently.

However, the State High Court had recently granted bail to all the other accused persons named in the second charge-sheet.

Restrictions Imposed

Even as the Principal City Civil and Sessions Court’s orders on bail have not been issued and whether Fr William Patrick has been released or not is not known, the Archbishop of Bangalore Most Rev Dr Bernard Moras has taken note of the fact that Fr William Patrick has secured bail from the Supreme Court on July 25.

In a communication to Fr William Patrick, the Archbishop has issued a three-point specific directive on the basis of the specific direction from His Eminence Cardinal Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the following three-point restrictions shall be imposed "in the event of granting bail until the final sentence."

1. You should not exercise any kind of pastoral ministry.
2. You should not celebrate the Holy Mass in Public.
3. You should lead a retired life.

Stipend, Medical & Lodging Expenses

The Archbishop, in his communication to Fr William Patrick, has also issued the following direction:

"I am directing you to stay at any Retreat Centre inside or outside the Archdiocese or at your own home. You have to obtain the written consent of the Superior of the place of your stay and send me a copy of the letter duly signed by him. You are also asked to send me in writing the address of your stay, your contact telephone or mobile number and email ID for any communication.

"May I inform you that your congrua (monthly stipend) will be paid every month by the Archdiocesan Finance Office to your account, and your medical expenses will also be taken care of by the Archdiocese as per the existing Archdiocesan Norms. In case, you opt to stay in a Retreat Centre, the lodging expenses will also be paid by the Archdiocese.

"I look forward to revoking the above restrictions as soon as the reasons for its imposition ceases so that we can together repair the damage done to the image of the Church and get you back to active ministry."

"I am praying for you at this difficult moment that you may experience God’s healing touch," said the communication sent by the Archbishop.