INDIA
Odisha Sun Times
New Delhi, Sep 11 :
The Delhi High Court Thursday sought response from the central government on the plea of Catholic priest Rev Joseph Palanivel Jeyapaul, accused of molesting a child in the US when he was there during 2004, against his extradition order.
Justice Pratibha Rani issued notice to government and asked it to respond on the plea of Jeyapaul, 59, challenging the order of trial court here recommending his extradition to the US to stand trial there.
The trial court recently said that “prima facie” case was made out for his extradition. If extradited, Jeyapaul will stand trial on charge of a “first degree criminal sexual conduct” in Minnesota, USA.
The priest, a fugitive from US law, has been charged with molesting a 14-year-old girl in the US in 2004 when he was at a pastoral ministry at Roseau county of Crookston Diocese in Minnesota. The priest had allegedly met the girl at a youth conference in 2004, and abused her for nearly a year till he left for India on Aug 28, 2005, after which he maintained a low profile.
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