Conspiracy hatched to hush up rape by priest: Police

The Times of India
March 05, 2017

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kozhikode/conspiracy-hatched-to-hush-up-rape-by-priest-police/articleshow/57471165.cms

KANNUR: A conspiracy was hatched to hush up the rape of a minor girl by Robin Vadakkancheril alias Mathew Vadakkancheril, a 48-year-old priest in Kottiyoor, police has said. The authorities of the hospital where the girl delivered the baby, and also the orphanage in Wayanad which took the baby under its care without informing the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), made serious lapses, they said.

Though cases have been registered under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against eight people including five nuns -- one of them a gynecologist in the hospital where the girl delivered -- they are all absconding, said Iritty DSP Prajesh Thottathil.

Police said cases have been registered against a pediatrician, Dr Hyderali, and the administrator of the hospital, Ancy Mathew, a nun. The others are Thankamma, a female employee of St Sebastian Church, Neendunoki, near Kottiyoor and nuns Liz Maria, Anita and Ophelia, who handles the orphanage in Mananthawady.

"We have concrete evidence on efforts made to hush up the case. There were serious lapses on the part of Christu Raj Hospital in Koothuparamba, where the girl delivered. The newborn was taken away from the mother and shifted to the Holy Infant Foundling Home, part of the HIM orphanage at Vythiri in Wayanad in violation of rules," said the DSP.

Though there were lapses on the part of the Wayanad CWC, no case has been registered yet. A report has been given to the social justice department in this connection, said police officials.

Social justice department officials said there was serious lapse on the part of the CWC, as the newborn was brought to the orphanage on the night of February 7 and the baby was kept there illegally for two weeks. When it was finally produced before the CWC on March 20, its member Betty Jose, who is a medical doctor, signed the placement order the same day.

"As per rules, when an unwed mother surrenders her baby, only a woman member of the CWC can accept it, after proper enquiry. However, here it was done in a hurry flouting all norms," said an official with the social justice department.

However, Wayanad CWC chairman Thomas Joseph Therakam, who has now been removed from the post along with Betty Jose said the process of surrendering the baby with the CWC was done as per rules, and they got the newborn only on February 20, when the mother surrendered it.

Further, before handing over the baby to the orphanage, the hospital authorities gave in writing that the unwed mother was 18-years-old to create the impression that the victim was not a minor, though she was actually 17. But, even if we agree that the victim was 18 at the time of delivery, the rape happened inside the room of the priest in May, 2016, when she was a minor, said a police officer.

Though the possibility of the influential accused trying to sabotage the investigation by destroying evidence could not be ruled out, they have confidence the DNA test would strengthen the case. The police also said they would move the application for DNA test in the High Court on Monday. But there is concern the accused might oppose the move.