Madras HC upholds arrest of priest charged with abusing girl in US

INDIA
IBN Live

Press Trust of India | Updated Jun 28, 2013

The Madras High Court has upheld the arrest of a Catholic priest from Tamil Nadu, charged with abusing a minor girl in the US, facilitating his extradition to face justice in that country.

A Division Bench comprising Justices Dhanapalan and C T Selvam dismissed the petition filed by the priest’s sister Pushpavathi, seeking to quash his arrest on the ground that there was a delay in producing him in Delhi and his continued incarceration amounted to illegal detention.

The bench rejected her plea and facilitated the priest’s extradition contending that the crime is a “first degree criminal sexual conduct.” Additional Solicitor General G Masilamani had pointed out that there was a valid extradition treaty with the US since 1999 and that the US has furnished all relevant documents validating its extradition request.

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