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  No Request Made for Priest's Return

United Press International
April 6, 2010

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/04/06/No-request-made-for-priests-return/UPI-42741270566135/

NEW DELHI, April 6 (UPI) -- India's Catholic Church said it has not received a formal request for the return of a priest accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old Minnesota girl.

The Rev. Joseph Palanivel Jeyapaul, now working in southern India, is wanted in the United States on two counts of criminal sexual conduct. He is charged with assaulting the teenager, who was a parishioner, while working at a northern Minnesota church in 2004, the Indo-Asian News Service reported Tuesday.

Each charge carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, officials said.

"The diocese has not received any request so far on his return to the U.S.," said the Rev. Babu Joseph, a spokesman for the Catholic Bishops Conference of India.

Joseph said the church has provided assurances that Jeyapaul will cooperate fully with investigating agencies.

His comment came in reaction to reports the priest has no plans to return to the United States to face charges.

 
 

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