The former Catholic priest was convicted last year for raping and impregnating a minor (Representational)
Former Catholic priest convicted for raping a minor, Robin Vadakkumchery, has moved an application before the Kerala High Court for bail and temporary suspension of his sentence for two months so he can marry the survivor, who is now around 20 years old.
The rape survivor, who is studying in another state, has also impleaded in the case. "The rape survivor has also impleaded in this case and will be appearing through her counsel," Public Prosecutor Suman Chakravarti told NDTV.
The former priest was convicted in February 2019 of raping and impregnating a minor and removed from priesthood earlier this year by Pope Francis. The crime had happened in May 2016 when The convict was then a Vicar at a church in Kerala's Wayanad district and an office bearer of a school. He had raped and impregnated the then 16-year-old girl, who delivered a baby in May 2017.
The baby, since the day of its birth, has been at two orphanages under the supervision of the Child Welfare Committee.
The convict has stated before the court that he has not been able to get custody of the child because he wasn't married.
Initially in this case, the biological father of the then minor girl had taken the blame of the crime upon himself, but the police grew suspicious after they got a tip-off. Police investigation unraveled Vadakkumchery's role, followed by his conviction.
"During the trial, as an accused, he kept refuting the charges tooth and nail till the DNA test was done... even then he tried to portray that this was a case of mutual consent. This was proved wrong by the prosecutor, since the survivor was proved to be a minor despite her parents turning hostile as witnesses," a senior counsel told NDTV.