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	Man Held for Rape Times of India July 25, 2010 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Man-held-for-rape/articleshow/6216362.cms CHENNAI: The police on Sunday arrested a 53-year-old priest at Ayanavaram on charges of rape and molestation. The arrested, pastor Selvaraj, has been running Faith Assembly Church' on Palani Andavar Koil Street for the past 15 years. According to the police, Mercy Maria (36) of Ayanavaram, an employee of the church, was allegedly seduced by the priest six years ago and they lived together for a while. Later, Suganthi (41) of Ayanavaram met the pastor to speak about her drunken husband when Selvaraj tried to make sexual advances. Based on their complaints, the Ayanavaram police registered two separate cases and arrested Selvaraj. He was booked under several charges, including cheating, molesting and raping. He will be remanded in judicial custody on Monday after being produced before a magistarte's court in the city. According to the police, Selvaraj collected 5.5 sovereigns of gold jewels and Rs 55,000 in cash from Maria, Rs 2.60 lakh from her husband Ramaiah and Rs 52,000 in cash and six sovereigns of gold jewels from Suganthi after convincing them to donate voluntarily for the church. The police said Maria told the pastor about her frequent quarrels with her husband Ramaiah and also that that she wanted to live away from him. The pastor then told her that he too had quarrelled with his wife and that his marriage had failed. Later, he seduced Maria and they started living in his house on the ground floor of the building. The church is on the first floor.
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