THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (INDIA)
The Times of India [Mumbai, India]
November 1, 2026
By Times of India, Edited by Prachi Kumawat
A priest in Kerala has been sentenced to seven years of rigous imprisonment for raping a woman under the pretext of performing rituals to rid her husband of an alleged evil spirit.
The Nedumangad Special Court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the accused, Rajesh, who was convicted in the case dating back to April 2016.
Nedumangad Special Court for trial of cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act Judge A Shahjahan on Saturday found Rajesh, a resident of Venkulam in Edava, guilty of rape under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
According to the prosecution, the accused had asked the woman in April 2016 to attend a special ritual to remove an alleged evil spirit believed to be affecting her husband. He then sexually assaulted her in the storeroom of the religious institution.
The prosecution said the assault continued over several days, following which the woman filed a complaint and the accused was arrested.
The court further directed that Rajesh would have to undergo an additional year of imprisonment if he failed to pay the fine.
Special Public Prosecutor Sandeep R N appeared for the prosecution.