Daijiworld Media Network - Thiruvanthapuram
Thiruvanthapuram (Kerala), Feb 18: The Kerala high court dismissed rape convict Catholic priest Robin Vadakkumchery's request for bail. The Catholic priest had made an outrageous plea to be let out on bail so that he could marry the survivor. However, the court dismissed the plea stating that there is no merit in the plea.
Justice Sunil Thomas, who dismissed the plea stated that granting the plea would be like giving judicial approval for marriage.
In July 2020, a POCSO court convicted Robin and granted him 20 years of imprisonment for raping and impregnating a minor girl. The convict had then moved to the Kerala high court seeking bail so that he could marry the survivor and take care of the baby.
But the high court dismissed the plea and said that cases relating to sexual offences would be dealt strongly and no compromises will be made or lenient view be accepted. It further said that the child being a minor during the offence still stands and granting bail would otherwise mean the court granting the nuptial.
In 2016, the survivor, a student of class XI was sexually assaulted by Robin who was the manager of the school. She gave birth in February the following year. Initially, under pressure from the church, the family of the survivor was forced to confess that her father had raped and impregnated her. But the family later revealed that the confession was made under immense pressure and threatens from the church. Later, DNA test conducted also confirmed that Robin was the father of the child. In 2018, after the survivor attained the age of consent, turned hostile and was ready to marry Robin. However, the court convicted the Catholic priest after observing that the survivor was a minor at the time of the crime.
In March 2019, after Robin was convicted by the court, the Vatican dismissed his priesthood.
The year after the verdict, Robin moved to the high court seeking for a bail plea. But the high court strongly opposed the plea. "We cannot encourage such suggestions because every rape convict will tell they want to marry the survivor,” public prosecutor Suman Chakravarti said.