Kerala witnessed 2 rape cases in which priests were named as accused. In the confession rape case, an absconding priest has released a video claiming his innocence.
Father Abraham Varghese, the accused in Kerala rape case, put out a video pleading innocence. Varghese, who is absconding later deleted the video.
In the 12-minute long clip, the accused questioned the authenticity of the complaint filed against him. Varghese, in his video, also went on to question the character of the victim.
The priest said that the victim has character flaws and alleged that the laws to protect women are being misused.
In order to substantiate his innocence, the priest claimed that he was not in Kerala when the alleged incident took place. As per the complainant the first incident took place in 2000.
Further targeting the victim, the priest can be heard saying that he could not comprehend that the girl came with him 41 days after her marriage.
READ ALSO: Confessional rape: Orthodox priest arrested based on secret statement
Below is a transcription of the priest’s video:
According to the complaint received by Bishop Chrysostom, the girl who was 17-years-old then was in a relationship with me in 2000. This relationship, according to the complaint, later evolved into a physical relationship. However, according to the FIR lodged by Crime Branch last month, the girl was 16 years old when the incident took place.
Let me tell you, this girl was born in 1983. When she completed her annual exams for Class 7, I had completed my graduation and had enrolled for pre-seminary studies in Hyderabad.
This means she was 13, I had left Kerala for pre-seminary studies. When the girl was 16 years old, I was a second-year student at the Kottayam based seminary.
Allegations made by her in her complaint are totally baseless. I was nowhere in Kerala in the period mentioned by the girl. This can be verified through the documents from the Hyderabad Institution and the Kottayam seminary.
In the FIR by the police, allegations against me involve four different years.
Reacting to the video, the woman’s husband told a leading news channel, “It is shameful and inhuman of the priest to reveal the identity of the survivor and insult her mother. We are considering legal action against him.”
The priest claims that during the four-year period when the woman alleges he sexually abused her, he was studying in Hyderabad and working in Thiruvalla, away from her.
“When you go through the details, one cannot stay without questioning the allegations that have been made against me… And not just that, she is also the daughter of my cousin. We are part of the same family. But it’s only after talking to the woman’s mother that I could understand that she has such serious character flaws,” he said in the video.
The Father goes on to say that he was told by the woman’s mother that she was a liar, sympathy seeker and stole from people.
“The allegations made against me are completely baseless. I am sure that I will be able to prove my innocence,” Father Abraham says towards the end.
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