Priest accused in rape case surrenders

The Times of India
February 17, 2018

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/priest-accused-in-rape-case-surrenders/articleshow/62957993.cms

The priest against whom a complaint of rape was filed by a Bangladeshi woman with a British citizenship surrendered before the judicial first class magistrate court in Vaikom on Friday. After a medical examination, Fr Thomas Thanninilkumthadathil (44), was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. He was moved to Kottayam sub-jail. Meanwhile, Kaduthurthy police have requested the court for the custody of the accused.

He was charged under sections 376, 380, 323 and 506 (1) of IPC based on the complaint by the 42-year-old woman. The priest had befriended the woman through Facebook. On January 7 the woman arrived here to meet the priest accompanied by a Zimbabwean youth. They had stayed with the priest at his official residence in the church and also in a resort in Kumarakom. The two were here from January 7-12 during which the alleged offences including the rape had happened. The woman had also complained that while the priest had dropped her at the resort in Kumarakom where she had booked a room, he took away her gold and money after locking her in the toilet.

The Pala diocese had removed him from the post immediately after the allegation came up.